Domestic Robinthorn
by rainbowthefox
Summary: Just a bunch of requested drabbles on what domestic life would be like for Elias Ainsworth and Hatori Chise, but with a little more. (Elias/Chise. The Ancient Magus' Bride/Mahou Tsukai no Yome.)
1. Sick

**The Domestic OTP AU Prompts were made by ocprompts-andsuch on Tumblr. Keep in mind these are drabbles and are not serious/complete stories. Thank you!**

* * *

 **\- Person A gets the flu. Person B stays away from work and takes care of them. Person A tells them to not lay next them, they might catch the flu too. Person B does it anyways, giving person A loads of affection.**

* * *

Sunlight poured from the window above Chise's bed. The once dark room was now enclosed in beautiful strands of light. Ruth awoke to the sound of the robins outside tweeting as per usual. He opened his snout to let out a rather dragged on yawn. He then nudged his familiar beside him, who sat up straight in her bed and stretched. Chise heard a few popping sounds come from her sore body and she let out a satisfied noise. She turned to the black dog laying on her bed, who was currently eying the birds outside.

"Morning, Ruth."

"Good morning, Chise."

The redhead stood from her bed and slipped on her pink, fuzzy slippers. Chise quickly ushered Ruth out of the room to change in her usual attire. The hot summer rid any ideas of her sweater, so Chise quickly slid on a white t-shirt and headed out of the room. Ruth was motioning her to go downstairs so they could fetch breakfast Silky usually made every morning. When the two went into the kitchen and found on trace of the brownie, they knew something was up.

"I wonder where she went?" Chise thought aloud. "It's not like her to leave the house. And have you seen Elias?"

Ruth shook his head. The teenager took one of the fruits off from the counter and searched the rest of the house. She found no trace of the magus nor Silver. A feeling of worry suddenly came to Chise and she started to panic. She was always afraid that this day would come! How she'd wake up and see that her new family abandoned her, just like her father and her mother did...

"Chise," Ruth snapped her out of it. "Don't start thinking about that. We still haven't checked Ainsworth's room."

"Why would he be in _there_?" Chise asked. "I know he sleeps in sometimes, but he's always awake before I am."

"Just check." Ruth rolled his eyes. "He would have left a note for you otherwise."

Chise took Ruth's words into consideration and made her way back upstairs. She found the door to Elias' room closed, which wasn't really out of the ordinary. She knocked a couple of times and found no answer. Chise held her breath and slowly opened the door, gazing into the dark room. All that illuminated it was a spot between the blinds. Chise could make out the shape of a horn from the light. She sighed in relief. Thank God he wasn't gone.

She stepped near the bed and placed a hand forward. Her fingers grazed Elias' back and Chise felt him tense. When he said nothing, Chise poked his back. She asked, "Elias?"

...

"Elias?"

...

"Elias? Are you okay?"

...

"Huh?"

She felt his skull rise and Chise immediately withdrew her hand. Ruth went to the other side of the bed and morphed into his human form. He then pulled the blinds up, revealing a pajama-dressed Elias. He was currently looking around the room, as if he were lost. When his eyes traveled onto Chise, Elias relaxed. He realized his situation and sunk back into the pillow. It reminded her of a child wanting to sleep in on a school day.

He said, "I'll be out there in a minute."

Chise gave Ruth a shrug and they both left the room. Chise decided to leave his door ajar and made her way downstairs behind Ruth. When they were halfway down, they recognized the smell of bacon. Ruth then hurried his way into the kitchen and found the Silky cooking breakfast. She was currently standing in front of the pan and had ingredients laid out on the counter beside her, almost as if she was never gone. Chise went next to the brownie and bowed politely.

Chise asked, "Where were you this morning, Silky?"

Silky simply pointed over to the counter and said nothing. Chise turned around and found a basket full of herbs. She recognized the sight of fresh ginger root but everything else came to a blank. When the redhead's eyes wandered over to Elias' robe in the background, she tensed. He still wasn't down there with them. It only took him a few minutes to get dressed in the morning. This was really odd.

Chise looked over and saw Ruth hovering next to the Silky. He was currently staring at the bacon below, making sure he wasn't in the danger zone. The redhead giggled and made her way back upstairs quietly. The door was how she left it and when she peeked in, Chise saw that Elias was still in bed. She opened the door further and quickly went to his side.

"Elias, is something wrong? You're usually up and ready."

Elias didn't move, but his eyes went over to Chise and he stared at her for a few seconds. He cleared his throat and looked back at the headboard in front of him. She couldn't see anything wrong with him physically. His skull was still intact, his horns were fine, and his eyes didn't have any emotion. If anything, they just looked drained.

ELias replied, "I'm fine, Chise. I think I just came down with an indisposition, is all. "

Chise tilted her head and found herself curious. She asked, "Your kind gets _sick_ , Elias?"

Elias suddenly sat up in bed and turned to her. Due to their height difference, he easily towered over her. Even when they were sitting. His pajamas were just an ordinary pair of a shirt and pants that you'd often catch a human wearing. Chise wasn't used to seeing him with them on. She realized that he was slouching over and his posture wasn't as formal as it was before. His jaw also moved slowly when he spoke. Maybe he really _did_ have something.

"I have no idea, to be honest." Elias replied. "The last time I came down with an ailment was...quite awhile ago. It must be a recurring thing, I suppose."

 _That's probably why Silky was gathering herbs,_ Chise thought to herself. Elias suddenly laid back in bed and rested his skull on the pillow. Despite their physical differences, Chise really wanted to help him. She had no plans for the day and studying without her teacher wouldn't be as enjoyable as it was before. She really cared about him and, since he's done everything for _her_ , it'd only be fair if she helped treat him while he was ill.

Chise ran a hand along his horn and started caressing the ends. Elias sat up when she did so and his pupils curved. She knew he enjoyed the occasional touch to his horns. From the years that she's known Elias, she knew that he really liked to be rubbed. She smiled when she saw him nestle back into the bed and relax. A true sign that he trusted her and cherished her touch.

She said, "I'll help you in any way I can, Elias. Is there something I can do? Something I can make for you?"

His pupils didn't change. He replied, "Silky usually goes out and gathers herbs to make her usual remedies. She knows when anyone in the household is feeling ill."

Chise fell silent as she continued to caress his horn. She moved her hand over to his other one and made her way to the other side of the bed. She crawled over Elias and laid down beside him, continuing to rub him while she did so.

She asked, "Anything else I can do?"

Elias' eyes locked with hers when she asked that question. Something flickered through his eyes and he suddenly sat up, scooping Chise with him. The redhead blushed at the sudden contact and took a moment to gather herself. He was currently cradling her in his arms and he took the blanket off of them. Chise wasn't ashamed to admit that they'd been in this position before. He made a blanket fortress around them and told her ghost stories all night once.

Elias nuzzled the top of her head with his skull. He replied, "At times like these, I feel really cold. When I have you in my arms, you help warm me. So this will help, yes?"

"I suppose." Chise sat up in his lap. Elias wrapped his arms around her and spread his legs so she had enough room. Chise felt a burning feeling come into her chest at the close contact. It was even worse when he leaned down and gave her a "kiss" on the cheek. She buried her head into his chest so she could hide the blush that was coming. Elias stroked her hair while she did so.

"Maybe you could teach me a bit about human illness?" He suggested. "I know plenty about it anatomically, but I don't know how humans _feel_ when they're sick."

He rested his skull on top of her head and added, "If you're going to be in here with me for awhile, the least we could do is get my lesson done."

Chise looked up at him and smiled. She had no plans to leave and would stay all day in bed with him if she could. She decided to take advantage of this and suddenly laid back. She immediately felt Elias' arm wrap around her back and supported her upwards. He didn't seem like he'd let go of her and Chise didn't want him to.

She explained, "Well, when humans get sick, we're cold, too. That's probably why our common illness is called a 'cold'. Our temperature rises but our body feels like it's freezing. Sometimes it'll feel like we're overheating."

"Really?" Elias asked. She nodded.

"Then our nose runs and our throat feels scratchy. We have to blow our nose every 5 minutes, so we constantly need tissues. If it's really bad, our nose and throat will start to burn. It isn't very pleasant."

Elias gripped her small hand and started rubbing her thumb. Chise smiled at the soothing gesture and watched his large hand treat hers with so much care. He asked, "Have you been sick, Chise?"

"I was sick a couple of times growing up." She placed a finger to her chin at the memory. "But they weren't bad. I once got the flu and had to stay in bed for a week. Being sick just slows you down and makes you _really_ tired."

The door suddenly opened and the two's heads snapped towards it. Silky was standing in the door and was holding a couple of plates with breakfast on them. The redhead was about to get up to retrieve hers until Silky stepped forward. She motioned for Chise to stay and quickly got a tray. She set the plates atop of it and handed it to Chise with a bow. Silky grabbed one of the cups off from the tray and handed it to Elias without a word.

He grabbed it from her and recognized the medicine. He said, "Thank you, Silver."

Silky gave them both a bow and left the room. Chise didn't hesitate to dig into the breakfast and Elias watched her wordlessly. He quickly gulped down the medicine and set it back on the tray. While he watched his fiance eat her breakfast in his lap in bed, Elias nuzzled the top of her head.

He said, "I think I'm feeling better already."


	2. Card Games

**\- It's Sunday. Which means relaxing all the day. Person B pulls up some old classical games. They end up doing some UNO and Monopoly. Person B is more competitive than Person A thought and they end up having an intense duel of what was supposed to be a casual game.**

* * *

For some reason, Sunday was the slowest day of the week for Chise. She had little plans and often found herself having nothing to do. Elias never went to church(he hated the place)and Chise decided there wasn't much of a point going without him. They had very few prescriptions to hand out on Sundays and it left the redhead with nothing to do. She studied to pass the time but often found herself bored to no end. She wanted to go out into the garden but it had been raining all day.

Chise Hatori sighed as she sat in front of the window. She was watching the water droplets drag across the window. Ruth was laying on her lap and observing the weather for himself. He didn't like rainy days because he couldn't chase the birds or the wool insects. Thankfully it wasn't a storm today, just a long period of rain. Chise would be hiding under her bed right now if she heard any thunder.

Elias walked into the room and found his apprentice sitting in front of the window. He said, "Watching the weather pass by, aren't we?"

Chise turned at the sound of his voice and watched Elias grab his robe off from the rack. It was usually a sign of him heading out, but instead he kindled a fire. He then went over and sat in his chair. Ruth got up from Chise's lap and laid right next to the fire, bathing in the warmth. Chise giggled and decided to join him. She sat next to him by the fire and petted his long, furry coat. The Silky came in a few minutes after and gave Chise a cup filled with hot chocolate.

"Thank you, Silky." Chise took it with a smile and she bowed in return. She left another cup beside Ruth and went back into the kitchen to retrieve Elias' cup of tea. He gave the brownie a nod before she disappeared upstairs. Chise assumed she was cleaning as per usual. When she looked down in her cup, she saw mini marshmallows placed at the top.

Ruth turned into his human form and didn't hesitate to drink it. A moment after he let out a pained noise and started fanning down his tongue. Chise laughed.

"It's called _hot_ chocolate for a reason, Ruth."

Her familiar gave Chise an annoyed look. He continued sipping the hot chocolate anyway and Chise suddenly got an idea. She set her cup down on the table and ran up the stairs. Elias turned to Ruth and was about to ask where she was going until they heard her come back down. In one of Chise's hands was a stack of cards and in the other was a rectangular box. The back of the cards read three words: " **UNO** ".

She asked, "Elias, have you played any board games before?"

"I have played some that you probably aren't familiar with." He replied.

The redhead looked up and noticed that both Ruth and Elias were eying the items in her hands. She smiled and sat down in front of the table. Ruth decided to follow suit and sat next to her. He watched as she placed the cards in her hands and tried to shuffle them. When she found she was being watched, Chise started to fumble with the cards and more than half of them fell to the ground.

Ruth started to guffaw. He held his arms around his stomach and couldn't contain himself. Chise hid her blush and exclaimed, "S-Stop laughing, Ruth!"

She bent down and started gathering the cards until she found a gloved hand helping her. When she looked up, she saw Elias gathering the rest of them and placed them back on the table. Without a word he took the ones from her hands and separated them, setting the cards in his hands much like she did. He continued to shuffle them both swiftly and professionally until the whole pile was done.

Chise's eyes widened in surprise. She said, "I didn't know you knew how to shuffle, Elias."

"I hadn't for the longest time." He sat across from her. "When the church wanted me to partake in a game of theirs, I watched Simon deal cards and I decided to try. Quite impressive if I'd say so myself."

He slid the now-shuffled pile of cards towards the redhead. Chise noticed that the two of them were giving her a patient look and she suddenly realized that they wanted to play. She gathered the cards and started dealing them, 7 cards each. Once they had their share, Chise began to explain.

"Okay, so, UNO is a pretty easy game once you get the hang of it. There are four different colors: blue, yellow, green, and red. They have numbers on them from 1 to 0. Your goal is to get rid of many cards as possible."

She picked up a card from the deck, which was a blue 7. She showed it to them and said, "We're going to start with this card. What you want to play is a card that is either blue or has the number 7. If you don't have either, you keep drawing cards from the pile until you do. When you only have one card left, you have to say 'uno'. When you run out of cards, you win."

Elias held up a draw four card and asked, "What's this?"

Chise took it from him and said, "These are special cards. If it has a +4 or a +2, the person after you must draw that many cards from the pile. If you play one of these, you get to choose the new color. If you get a card that has a circle with a line going through it, you get to skip the next person's turn. If you have a reversed arrow, then the order changes. Let's say we're going clockwise and you play that card. We now go counterclockwise."

She looked at the two males at the table. They looked a little lost but she knew that they'd catch on after a round or two. She returned the card back to Elias and set down the blue 7. She said, "Here, I'll go first."

She played a blue 3 and motioned for Ruth to play a card. When he set down a red 4, Chise sighed. She knew there would be something like this. She said, "Either a 3 or a blue card, Ruth."

"How am I supposed to know!?" He took back the card. "I've never played this game before. It seems like something children would play."

"Not necessarily," Chise replied and watched him place down a blue 0. Elias suddenly lifted the cloth over his skull and browsed through his cards. Chise was about to ask him why he did that until he suddenly played a blue skip card. She was a bit surprised at his sudden understanding but said nothing. Ruth stared at Chise until he realized it was his turn. He looked completely lost.

"What? How does that work?"

"He skipped my turn," She explained. "Now it's yours. Either play a blue card or lay down another skip one."

Ruth, feeling a bit protective over Chise, played a blue reverse card so she'd have her turn. She browsed through hers and set down another blue card. Elias played a Draw 4 card and said, "Red."

"Draw 4 cards, Ruth." Chise instructed. Ruth scowled but took 4 cards from the pile and played a red card. They spent the next few rounds with Chise tutoring Ruth on the game and Elias playing silently but impressively. He seemed to have all the special cards on him and made Ruth draw around 12 cards. Safe to say, the familiar wasn't the biggest fan on the game now and he had only Elias to thank for that.

* * *

"Uno."

Chise looked up and found Elias holding a single card in his gloved hand. She blinked a few moments to take the sight in and leaned forward. She was so busy instructing Ruth that she hadn't noticed his cards were diminishing. She was really impressed.

She looked up at him and asked, "How do you play so well, Elias? I thought you didn't know how to play."

"I didn't until you told me how." He lifted his skull. "I'm only as good as my teacher, I suppose."

Chise blushed and took a look at the cards in her hand. She looked up at Elias and tried to see through his cloth. His eyes were completely concealed so she couldn't see if he was nervous or not. Or did he have a poker face underneath? She hesitated before changing the color to yellow. Almost immediately after she did was when Elias put down his last card and sat back up. It was a yellow 0.

Ruth's jaw dropped open and he looked down at his own hand in frustration. He had about 30 cards. He threw them down on the table and stubbornly crossed his arms. He refused to look at the magus and instead had his focus on the cup of hot chocolate. Chise leaned to him and patted his back in consolation.

She said, "It's okay, Ruth. I lost, too."

"So I suppose that means I won?" Elias lifted his cloth. He gathered the cards that were on the table and started to neatly stack them again. He even went through the trouble of shuffling them again and Chise watched him with wide eyes. He did everything so professionally. She began to wonder if he did these kinds of things before. Did he bet on games? Play blackjack? Gamble? Strip poker?

Chise felt herself blush at the last thought and hid her face. She heard Elias ask her, "Do you want to play again, Chise?"

"Y-Yeah." She rubbed her cheek. "I'll play another game. How about you, Ruth?"

"I'd rather not." He replied, walking around Elias and giving him a dirty look. The magus didn't seem to notice as he split the pile and dealt the cards between him and Chise. Again, he placed the cloth over his face and Chise decided to ask. She set down her cards for a moment and leaned forward.

She asked, "Why don't you show your face, Elias?"

He looked up at her and simply shrugged. He said, "When I used to play cards, I noticed that the people around me were uneasy and often made poor choices. I guess the lack of seeing me gave them a sense to play their cards without second thoughts. That's how I won plenty of times."

"Oh." Chise picked her cards back up. That was actually real smart. It was probably his form of a poker face...Even though he only had one expression. Chise started the game and felt Ruth nuzzle her back. She heard him say, _I can peek at his cards if you'd like._

The redhead turned to him and immediately shook her head. Ruth shrugged in response and laid down behind her. Chise wanted to beat Elias fair and square. If she had her focus on her cards and watched what he was doing carefully, she'd be able to have the upper hand. There was no way he could beat her at a human game.

Yet...she felt uneasy. She gave a glance back to Ruth and he got the message. Quietly, he crept up to Elias' side and tried to take a peek at his cards. What he got instead was a flash of fire and he stepped back in surprise. Elias had burned the card that was within his sight. It still worried him that the man was able to summon fire in an instant.

"My mistake." Elias remarked, giving Ruth a glance. The dog backed off and returned to Chise's side, bowing his head as an apology. Chise simply blinked in surprise and steadied herself for the _very_ short game ahead.

* * *

"Uno."

Elias, once again, had one card in his hand. Chise looked down at hers and saw that she only had three. She had no special cards but only one that applied to the last one that was drawn. She sighed and played it and watched as he finished his hand within the blink of an eye. She gathered the rest of the cards and did a fairly poor job on shuffling them. Compared to Elias, that is.

Chise sighed. "I still don't get how you understood the game so easily. And you beat me _twice_."

"It wasn't a very hard concept," Elias replied. "You lay down the cards according to colors and numbers. You change the colors to your common one, make your opponents draw when they are low, and reverse the order only when you notice the person after has less cards. I just skipped you for the fun of it, Chise."

Chise stared at him. How was he able to throw together a strategy just like _that_? Granted, she was a little upset he skipped her turn just to play with her, but it was all endearing. He truly was incredible when it came to many things. She just had to add cards to the list was all. She stacked the cards together once more and stood.

She was about to head into her room until she felt Elias grab her hand. When she turned around, she noticed that in his other hand was the board game she brought.

He asked, "Can we play this one, too? I promise I won't try very hard."

The redhead smiled and placed the cards back down on the table. When she took the box from Elias, she noticed the bold words on the front. It read: " **MONOPOLY** ". She bit her lip and felt a bit queazy. She hoped their soon-to-be marriage wouldn't be affected by this...


	3. Grocery Shopping

**\- Person A making a grocery list for person B. Person A writes a small note of how much they love person B each time. It never fails to make B smile.**

* * *

"Chise, come on. We're heading to the marketplace today."

Chise Hatori looked up from her desk and found her teacher standing in the doorway. He was in his human facade and wore a neutral expression. It had been awhile since she's seen him in this form. He had a long nose, blue eyes, and had stiff but styled blonde hair. His clothes were still the same, minus his robe and his old necklace. Chise looked down at all the papers and utensils on her desk and looked back up at him. The expression on her face said it all.

Elias dismissed it with a wave. He said, "You can leave it for now. Besides, you aren't supposed to be using notes."

Without another word her teacher disappeared into the hallway. Chise felt quite a bit of pressure and started fumbling with her papers. She messily piled them up and did her best to organize her pencils before following him. Elias was currently at the front door and was bidding Silky goodbye. She didn't understand why he was in such a hurry. Maybe he was avoiding Simon? He hadn't given him his prescription for the day.

Ruth, whom had been following her from behind, easily slipped into her shadow. The redhead sighed in relief of her familiar's company and caught up with Elias. Silky held the door open for her and bid the two goodbye. The last thing Chise heard was the sound of the door shutting before she joined Elias on the trail into town. His pace slowed down for her and Chise gave him a grateful look. She took a moment to catch her breath.

"Is there something important, Elias?" Chise asked. "You left the house in a hurry."

Elias looked at her and shook his head. He said, "I just needed to gather some things for our lesson today. You have the list, right?"

"You mean the one you asked me to make a week ago?" She teased. "Yeah, right here."

She took the slip of paper out from her pocket and handed it to him. Chise had been keeping it in there for awhile now because she never knew when they were going to go shopping again. Elias was pretty unpredictable and she was thankful she saved it. He took the slip from her and slid it into his own pocket.

At the time, Elias told her to write some things down that she wanted from the market or needed. She wrote down some herbs and supplies for her elixirs. The day they met, Elias bought Chise from the auction house for 500 million pounds($658 million). There was no denying that he was wealthy and could purchase practically anything. Yet, when given the opportunity to get what she _wanted_ , Chise couldn't come up with anything. She had everything she could possibly have needed. A family, friends, a hu-

"Chise?"

She looked up and noticed that Elias was giving her a look. She hadn't been paying attention. She tried to hide her embarrassment by brushing her hair back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you need, Elias?" She asked.

"I was wondering if you wanted to make any stops besides the market," He repeated. "Maybe some lunch? Whatever you'd prefer."

"O-Oh." Chise thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I'd like that. Do you know anyplace good?"

She dined at a restaurant before with Alice, but that wasn't in the best area of town. It'd be interesting to stop at someplace else and finally witness Elias eating in his human glamour. She knew Ruth would pig out at the chance of food. Chise was just more curious on seeing how he reacted to some things as a partial human. Could he feel the same things she did?

"We'll see." Was all he said.

* * *

When the two arrived in the marketplace, they were immediately overwhelmed by the crowds. They happened to stop by at rush hour, which wasn't really good for anyone. Elias held onto Chise's hand the whole way and led her through the people with ease. Ruth got out of her shadow and used his human form to make sure she didn't fall behind. Inside the market, it was much more calmer and had less people. Chise sighed in relief and felt a bit cold when Elias let go of her hand.

"Alright," He grabbed the paper out from his pocket and unfolded it. "First, we need-"

He suddenly stopped. He was staring at the paper with a bit of a surprised expression and Chise eyed Elias with worry. Did she write something she wasn't supposed to? All that was listed was food and such. As far as she knew, anyway.

Chise started, "Eli-"

"I'm fine." He quickly shook his head. "Sorry about that, Chise. Could you fetch the milk and fruit for me? I'll take care of the supplies in the meantime. Meet me back here when you're done."

He turned on his heel and disappeared from their sight rather quickly. Chise blinked in confusion and looked over to Ruth, who was sharing the same look as her. The two of them soon shrugged it off and made their way to the back of the store. They had no idea what got Elias worked up but it wasn't anything too serious. He was just like that sometimes.

* * *

"I hope I didn't upset him." Chise commented. Her and Ruth had been picking out apples and oranges when she suddenly said it. Ruth knew it had been on her mind since her and Elias departed. He threw together a couple of avocados in a bag and leaned over the cart to face her.

He said, "I'm sure you didn't, Chise. Maybe he just forgot something."

Chise thought about it and nodded without saying anything. It was possible that he just realized something about the list. It wasn't like him to suddenly rush out of her sight without addressing her about what the problem was. She hoped he would feel better when they saw each other again.

She and Ruth were almost done gathering the food on their list. All they needed to do was weigh their bags and meet up with Elias. They'd do grocery trips once a week and gather food for Silky to prepare. This was also the time that Chise would get anything else that she needed and the occasional candy or two. Elias usually didn't come with her and Ruth. He'd often give them the money to buy everything and would go off doing other things. So Chise wasn't ashamed to admit that she was happy he came.

While Ruth was measuring the weight of the apples, he turned to Chise and asked, "What did you write on that list, anyway? It's got to be something else besides necessities."

"I didn't write anything else!" Chise defended. "And even if I did want something, I'd just sneak it in like usual."

Ruth eyed her for a moment or two. He dropped the bag of apples into their cart without a word and motioned for her to go down the aisle. The redhead was confused at his sudden silence but shrugged it off afterwards. She made her way back to the front of the store and to the spot where Elias said he'd meet her. She spotted him rather quickly. He had his own basket in his hand and was looking at the list wearily. Chise felt her pace quicken and she got Elias' attention.

"Chise." Elias walked over to her, not even glancing at the basket. "Did you get everything?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Did you?"

"Yes..." He took a glance at the supplies. He then pressed a hand on her back and started leading her over to the registers. He said, "Come on, let's get going."

Despite the casual tone of his voice, Chise could tell something was wrong. She couldn't bring herself to ask about it so she just stood in line with him in silence. Ruth gave the two of them a concerned look and seemed a bit worried that they were holding back from each other again. Sometimes he just wished the two would be a bit more honest with themselves and each other.

* * *

"So where are we eating, Elias?"

"I was planning on grabbing something from a deli and eating outside. What did you think?"

"Sure." Chise smiled. "With these groceries, I wouldn't want anything _too_ big. I'm sure Silky will make a big dinner, anyways."

Elias gave her a nod and led them through the Leadenhall Market. The three of them stopped at a nearby deli, grabbed some food, and had Ruth snag them a table outside. Chise sat across from Elias and Ruth took the chair next to her. He made no hesitation to shove half of the sandwich in his mouth, earning an eye roll from Chise and nothing from Elias.

Elias, in the midst of eating his food, suddenly sat back in the chair and took a look around. He watched the people walking around before turning back to the two in front of him. Ruth had finished his food and was currently sneaking some off from Chise's plate. She swatted him with her fork and defended her food. The whole sight was something Elias hadn't seen before.

He asked, "Chise?"

"Yes, Elias?" She asked. He pulled the piece of paper out from his pocket again and unfolded it. Chise felt nervous when he suddenly handed the list over to her. She took it and gave him a confused look.

Elias motioned to the paper. He asked, "Did you mean to write this?"

When Ruth peered over her shoulder to look, he let out a surprised noise. He quickly turned away from her and started wiping his mouth with a napkin. Chise looked for herself and found scribbles at the bottom of the list. Half of the words were crossed out and they were spread unevenly on the page. Her green eyes widened while she read through the doodles.

 **He's really nice to me  
I feel he's the only one that wants me  
I need to tell him soon  
That I ****_love him_** "

Chise felt her heartbeat suddenly stop. She must have wrote that late at night when she was thinking about him. A bead of sweat came down her forehead and she looked back at Elias. He was giving her a patient look and she felt a warm feeling grow in her stomach. Her fingers grew numb and it felt like her arms gave out.

She said, "I..."

Ruth nudged her. Chise put the list down on the table and tried to think of a way to get out of the situation.

"-It was about someone else."

Elias' eyes widened and Ruth gave Chise a look that could kill. The redhead started to fumble with her words and she didn't notice the emotionless expression on Elias' face. When Ruth looked over, he recognized the expression all too well. It was a face you made when you were hurt or betrayed, but decided to keep it from showing.

Elias asked, "There's someone else?"

"N-NO!" Chise waved her hands in front of her. "Not like that, Elias! I just..."

She looked up at him and swallowed hard. His blue eyes were locked with her green ones and she could sense a bit of despair in his look. She sighed and covered her face so she wouldn't have to look at him. This was embarrassing.

She said, "I-It was about you. I was lying. I'm sorry..."

Elias said nothing as he stared at her. She rested her head on the table and Ruth patted her back reassuringly. He looked back at the magus and motioned for him to get Chise's attention. Elias hesitated a bit before leaning over to the table to remove her hands from her eyes. His thumb went over her wrist ever-so-lightly and he could see the faint tears starting to form in Chise's eyes.

He was breathless. He took Chise's hands into his own and observed them. Ruth watched the two in silence and felt the tension gather. After a few minutes of Elias giving Chise a soothing rub, he finally spoke.

He said, "I love you, too."


	4. Ice Cream

**\- A hot summer day. What does that mean? Ice cream time! Person B makes some home-made ice creams™. Person A and B enjoy the ice cream while relaxing outside.**

* * *

It was the hottest part of the year in London. As soon as July began, a massive heat wave struck summer. Both fae and human were overwhelmed by the dramatic climb in temperature. The traffic came to no end and the beaches were filled with families. There were no clouds in the sky and it was left a beautiful endless shade of blue. The heat kept many visitors away so it was a rather quiet day.

Chise Hatori was currently tending to the gardens to make sure none of the plants were dry. After finding them to her satisfaction, Chise discarded her apron and sat down in the grass. Part of her wished to visit the beach but the other part of her just wanted to stay home and relax. She bought a swim suit long ago but Chise just didn't feel like going out. It was probably going to be crowded, anyway.

She heard someone plop down beside her and Chise turned to see who it was. Ruth was laying beside her in his usual dog form and was panting. She observed his long, black coat and gave her familiar a look.

She asked, "Isn't being a dog hotter?"

"Not really." He replied. "I find panting cools me down more. Are you doing okay, Chise?"

She wiped the sweat off of her forehead and tugged at the collar of her shirt. She wasn't used to this heat but she had no choice. Chise was trying to endure it the best she could. Even though the summer was beautiful, it got too hot sometimes. She'd take the opportunity to leave the house whenever it was the right temperature. Today was different with this heatwave.

She said, "Yeah. I just need something to cool off."

Ruth's response was to sink into her shadow and let out a relived noise at the cool feeling. Chise rolled her eyes at his lack of help and laid back in the grass. She had no idea how Elias was managing wherever he was. He'd been gone all morning to attend something important and left Chise a note on the fridge. She was worried that he was going to overheat in that robe of his in this type of weather.

 _All you do is think about him while he's gone, you know._

Chise decided to ignore Ruth's voice in the back of her head. All she wished was for a cloud in the sky, a cup of fresh lemonade, or a bowl of ice cream. Either of them would cool her down right now. If she overheated, everyone in the house would be worried to bits. She _had_ to do something to cool off or Elias would be signing her deathbed.

She suddenly got up and went inside the house using the backdoor. Ruth slipped out of her shadow and followed her in. They found the Silky pouring some lemonade out of a pitcher into two glass cups. When she saw the two heading in, she quickly stuck it back in the fridge and handed Ruth and Chise their cups. The teenager gave Silky a smile as she took a swig of her glass. Ruth gulped it all down in one go.

Once finished, Chise gave hers back to Silky and bowed. It was soon returned after Silver took Ruth's cup and placed them in the sink. She was about to wash them until Chise poked her shoulder and she turned around. Her eyes and posture were attentive as always. Apparently, she was just as hot as them and didn't have her usual hat on. The last time Ruth saw her like that was when she gave him a bath as a dog.

Chise asked, "Silky? Would you mind if we borrowed the kitchen for a bit? I want to make something."

Her blue eyes wandered over the two for a few seconds before she bowed again. She dismissed herself through the door and grabbed a broom on her way out. Ruth watched as Chise suddenly went through the cupboard and started grabbing ingredients. He didn't recognize what they were for and he watched his familiar with a confused expression.

He asked, "Chise? What are you making?"

"Ice cream!" She exclaimed. She had everything laid out on the counter and was currently searching for a bowl. Ruth eyed the bottles with interest and watched as Chise set a medium-sized bowl down with four eggs. She double-checked she had all of the ingredients before starting to prepare a batch. She hesitated when she turned to the bowl and reluctantly used some of the magic and froze it. Ruth was watching her cautiously.

He said, "I didn't know you can _make_ ice cream. Be careful with the magic, too, Chise."

"I know, I know." She waved her hand.

Ruth happened to notice she had some cocoa powder to the side and felt himself getting excited. She knew that his favorite flavor was chocolate, despite being part dog and all. It didn't affect him so long as he was a human when consuming it. While Chise went through the process of tempering and warming milk, she looked up to the ceiling in thought.

"I wonder what flavor Elias likes?" She wondered. Ruth shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Ainsworth seems like a strawberry type of person, though."

Chise shrugged it off and continued to cook the ice cream base. It was a shame that he wasn't home. She could've asked him what he liked and would've made a batch special for him. Chise decided to play it safe and just make some extra vanilla. Just in case Silky wanted some, too. She knew they had some chocolate and strawberry syrup somewhere...

* * *

As soon as Chise was using magic for the final step, they heard the front door open. The redhead turned around at the sudden noise and ended up freezing the cocoa powder instead of the ice cream. Ruth panicked and nudged her arm down before she froze anything else. Her green eyes were eying the now-frozen cocoa powder in surprise. Had she...really done that?

Elias soon walked in after and noticed Silky wasn't in the kitchen. He seemed to have removed his robe when he first walked on and was wearing only his black vest. He turned around and noticed all of the ingredients and bowls on the counter. His eyes then rested onto Chise, Ruth, and then to what they were currently looking at. A frozen bottle of cocoa powder was stuck to the counter. He stepped forward and observed it without a word.

"Chise did it," Ruth stated bluntly. The redhead nudged his side rather angrily. She turned back to her teacher and gulped at the thought of him scolding her. She rubbed the back of her head nervously.

"I'm sorry, Elias. It was an accident!"

His eyes looked up at her and she could tell he wasn't mad. He replied, "I'm sure it was."

He then summoned a bit of fire to melt the bottle and grabbed it off from the counter. He returned it back into the cabinet and turned back to Chise. Ruth looked disappointed that he took the powder away but Chise was sweating. She couldn't tell if it was because she was scared or just hot.

Elias said, "You really need to be careful, Chise. You could've frozen apart of yourself if you'd have aimed closer."

Ruth's eyes widened when he realized that the magus was right. The cocoa powder had been right in front of Chise when she froze it. If she had aimed a little downwards, her hand could have been frozen. Ruth silently scolded himself for not preventing it sooner. Chise gave him a pat on the shoulder before quickly freezing the ice cream. Once satisfied with how it turned out, she turned back to Elias.

"Do you like ice cream, Elias?"

"I haven't tried it." He said. "I hear about it a lot at the marketplace. Is it any good?"

"Depends on what you like." Chise replied. "There's all sorts of different flavors you can try. I only have chocolate and vanilla right now, but you can always add syrup if you want strawberry."

She scooped some chocolate ice cream out from the second bowl and placed it in a smaller one. She handed it to Ruth, who grabbed it out of her hands and started eating it right away. He made a satisfied noise and gave Chise a thumbs up. She returned it and scooped some vanilla into another one. She then offered it to Elias, who hesitated before taking it.

"Ah," His pupils curved. "It's cold. How refreshing."

"Just wait until you eat it!" Chise grinned. She leaned over and added some strawberry syrup to his. Afterwards she made her own bowl and stuck to plain vanilla. Chise led the two outside with her so they could sit in the grass and enjoy it outside. Elias sat next to her while Ruth was on her other side.

When Elias took a bite, he shut his mouth and observed the bowl. Chise gave him a worried look when it occurred to her that he may not like it. Perhaps it was the syrup?

She asked, "Is it okay?"

"Oh, yes." Elias nodded. "It tastes good. I'm just wondering why I hadn't tried this earlier."

Chise gave him a smile as she started to laugh. Elias let out an amused sound before he dug back into the ice cream and took a couple more bites. They heard something thump down beside them and Chise turned around. She saw Ruth laying in the grass and was currently slamming his fist down on the ground repeatedly.

"Brain freeze?" Chise asked amusingly. Ruth didn't look up to acknowledge her as he continued to grip the grass in his palm. Elias was eying him curiously until he felt something come into his hand. When he looked down, he saw that Chise was entwining their fingers together. She quickly looked away from him and blushed.

She was about to remove her hand until Elias stopped her. He held hers firmly and gave her a squeeze. The redhead looked surprised but smiled afterwards and squeezed back. It felt nice to have a cold touch once in awhile.


	5. Thunderstorm

**\- It's not only raining, but there is thunder! It's late and person B is terribly scared of thunder. Person A hugs them closely, calming them down. Person B falls asleep in their arms.**

* * *

A crack of thunder boomed in the west of London. For a split second or two, everything in the Ainsworth household was illuminated by the lightning. Darkness enclosed the house soon after until a spark of fire came in front of the window. A gloved hand held the end of the match and lit a candle in its other hand. A few more were lit until the flame extinguished and the match was discarded.

Elias Ainsworth took a look at the candles set atop the counters. The power had gone out at the height of the storm and it didn't look like it'd cease anytime soon. So, he and Silver were lighting candles in the meantime. All he had left to do was light the candles upstairs so they could wait the storm out. He hated tedious weather like this.

He gave Silky a nod before exiting the kitchen and looking at the rack next to the front door. His robe was missing from its usual spot. Elias tilted his skull to the side and took a look around the living room. It wasn't within sight, but that was probably because it was dark. Elias never removed his robe from the rack unless he was going outside or there was a draft.

 _Maybe I misplaced it_ , he thought.

He went up the stairs to the second floor and found all of the doors open. As peculiar as it was, he assumed it was probably from the force of the thunder. He soon shrugged it off and went to enter his room to look for his robe. Ruth suddenly ran into the hallway and stepped in front of him. Elias saw the flash of black before he came and immediately stopped.

"Ainsworth," Ruth said. "Chise...she won't come out."

"I beg your pardon?" Elias asked.

Ruth ducked his head and entered Chise's room without a word. Elias assumed he wanted him to follow so he went in there as well. It was completely dark. Elias took out a match to light the two candles on the nightstands beside the bed. The room was dim but it was better than dark. When Elias looked around the room, he found no sign of Chise. He turned to Ruth to inquiry but found the dog staring at the bed. Elias saw a bit of worry in his red eyes.

He lifted the covers of the bed but still found no sign of his apprentice. Another boom of thunder came and Elias jumped when he heard someone yelp. He immediately recognized it as Chise's voice. The sound came from somewhere in the bed. Elias went on his knees and took a look under the bed. He grabbed the candle from the nightstand and shone it so he could see.

He called, "Chise?"

No response came. He then saw the pattern of his robe tucked to the side. He went to grab it until he felt something pull back against his grip. Green eyes met with his for only a second before they hid again. Again, he recognized it as Chise.

Ruth walked over to Elias' side. He looked under the bed for himself and Chise concealed herself from the two. She was using his robe to hide from what Elias assumed was the storm. He remembered her being afraid of weather like this. He came to her aid last year and made themselves a blanket fortress. He spooked his apprentice with ghost stories that night. It was sensible that her fear hadn't gone away.

"She won't come out." Ruth suddenly spoke. "I kept calling to her and tried to assure her, but...nothing. She's been down there for 10 minutes."

Elias looked up at the dog and saw from his posture that he was upset. The last time he saw Ruth like this was when he went into a state of despair for letting Chise get hurt. He assured him at the time to let him know when Chise was in danger and how she felt if things got too overwhelming. Ruth took another breath as he avoided the magus' eyes.

He said, "She's depressed and scared, Ainsworth. I don't like what she's thinking about right now. She won't snap out of it."

"Depressed?" Elias repeated. That word rang a bell but he didn't know what it meant.

He peeked underneath the bed again and saw her moving in his robe. She still didn't reveal herself and that's when Elias realized something was wrong. During the last storm, she told Elias a bit more about her childhood and why she was scared of thunder. She used to have to endure it alone and it just became a fear for her. She told him that it reminded her of when she was abandoned by her family. Something in Elias' chest twinged at the thought.

Elias put the candle back on the nightstand and rested his hand on the floor. He grabbed at his robe again but felt Chise pull back once more. A clear sign to him that she wasn't going to budge.

He asked, "Chise? Are you okay?"

Nothing. Ruth gave the back of Elias' skull a knowing look but the magus didn't look back. His eyes were locked on the robe and Ruth could tell that he would remain like that until Chise came out. Elias removed his hand and watched Chise squirm around. Lightning cracked just outside the window and was soon followed by some more thunder. Chise screamed again and the two of them saw the robe start to shake.

"Chise, it's okay." Ruth assured. "It's just some thunder. It isn't going to hurt you."

She still didn't budge. Ruth sighed at his lack of help. Elias turned to the dog and sat up so he could look at him properly.

He said, "Go downstairs and help the Silky. I'll try to get Chise out."

"Are you sure?" Ruth asked. When Elias nodded his skull, the dog hesitated to leave. He trusted the magus' word and soon left. His paws hitting the stairs gave Elias the sign to lean back down and turn to Chise. When his hand grazed the robe again, Chise scooted away from him to the other side of the bed. Elias leaned forward when he heard her start to sob.

"Chise?" He panicked. He quickly rushed to the other side of the bed but heard Chise roll back over. Her cries didn't stop and it pained Elias. He froze when he heard her speak. Her voice was muffled and her sobs were audible. He hadn't heard her like this before.

 _"Elias...just...g-go. I'm...being lethargic. I'm a trouble t-to...y..you..."_

Lethargic? Elias leaned down and saw that Chise was now facing him. He'd have been thankful for this a few minutes ago when she wasn't crying. Only her face was visible from the robe and he didn't quite like the sight. Tears were streaming down her face and her cheeks were red from the heat. She sniffled and wiped a few tears with her free hand. Elias extended his arm and Chise turned away from him.

"Chise..." He breathed. He tried to gather his words but came to no avail. What should he say? He hadn't seen her crying much before. Where did this sadness come from?

"Th...the day we m-met..." She choked. "I remember...you told me that I-I'd be a trouble to you if I st-stayed like this...I'm so sorry, Elias."

He took a moment to recall the memory. It'd been so long ago since he thought about the day they met. And it had been awhile since she brought anything up in relation to it. Granted, Elias would admit that didn't quite know what he was doing back then. His intentions were misguided and he was in the midst of showing himself back into the world. Why would she bring this up now?

"I didn't know what I was saying, Chise."

Elias reached for her and managed to grab a hold of her hip. With little to no strength, he slid her back towards him. Chise fought against his grip but gave in when he suddenly pulled her out from under the bed. He then placed her in his lap and Chise immediately concealed herself again within his robe.

"Chise," Elias called for her. "Please, look at me."

She didn't move. He opened his jaw to say something else until he felt her move. Slowly, she revealed herself once again and she looked paler than before. Elias was satisfied with her progress. He stood with her in his arms and gently placed her back on the bed. When another round of thunder came, Chise yelped again and clung to his arm. He took this chance to take a seat next to her and get a better look at Chise.

Her hair was ruffled from all that moving around. The tears she had were starting to dry but her eyes were still watery. Her breath was shaky and her grip on him was deathly. Elias was taken aback when Chise voluntarily crawled into his lap and rested her head on his chest. Another sob came form her throat and Elias rubbed the back of her head to soothe her.

He said, "I really don't like it when you cry. It pains me."

Chise closed her eyes when she felt Elias' arms wrap around her. They stayed like that for awhile. When thunder came again, Chise would tighten her grip on Elias and he'd hold her closer. The silence between them seemed to calm the redhead down. He wiped the rest of her tears from Chise's eyes with his thumb. A few moments after she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Don't be." He replied. "All that matters is if you're alright. Are you okay?"

"I am now." She rubbed her eyes. Elias could tell that she still a bit fazed. Perhaps it was because of the way she clung to his robe and his vest. He'd seen her sad before but never depressed. It must be an extended period of sorrow. Either way, Elias didn't like it.

Chise explained, "I was using your robe as a blanket when I heard the thunder earlier. I sort of panicked afterwards and ran upstairs when the lights went out. I was just so scared that I hid under my bed. Then I thought about my family and my thoughts kind of wandered from there."

"Did you now?" Elias asked. Chise nodded.

"I thought about how things were before Ruth and I suddenly remembered the things you told me. How you wanted to use me as an experiment and that you only purchased me because people were pressuring you. I felt really bad for being scared and I just thought I was troubling you by being so afraid."

Elias looked down in thought. He replied, "Chise, you're never a trouble for me. Like you told me once...You don't have to be that afraid. I'm always going to be here for you."

He meant it. There wasn't a time that he wasn't willing to help her. He always made sure he was within reach wherever she was. That was the whole point of giving her that necklace. His intention was to learn about humans but overtime he felt the purpose change. He wanted to cure Chise from her curse and protect her from the evils of the fae world.

Chise looked down shyly. She said, "I'm sorry for taking your robe. I should have asked you first."

Elias shrugged it off. He said, "You've slept it in before. I don't mind it at all."

He knew she wouldn't remember it. He carried her when she was unconscious and in his robe. Chise didn't question it and sat in silence. She seemed to be thinking about what he had said. He looked down and noticed the faint blush on her cheeks.

She asked, "Am I still an experiment?"

"You are no experiment nor have you ever been." Elias looked at her and rubbed her cheek. He continued, "I don't know what I was thinking, Chise. My view of the world was limited then and I made horrible impressions on those around me. You really changed that."

"I did?" Her green eyes widened. Elias nodded.

"Ever since you came around, I've been more active with those around me. There are still those who despise me and I deserve it, but because of you people have given me a second chance. You're a breath of fresh air to everyone around you, Chise. Including me."

The redhead seemed breathless. She stared up at Elias in awe before hugging him tightly. He returned the hug and felt a warm feeling come to him again. He'd been accustomed to feeling it around her so much it was starting to become a normality. And he told Chise he never lied to her. That was still true to this day. He never found a reason to.

Elias looked outside the window and gazed at the dark clouds. He watched the rain pour from the sky and hit the glass repeatedly. When another boom of thunder came, Chise clung onto Elias once more. He leaned down and tilted her chin upwards so she'd look at him straight in the eye.

He told her, "Never be afraid, Chise. I'll always be with you. Through these storms and the ones that will soon come. I'll protect you from any creature that dare try to lay their hands on you. And I would stop death should he try and come for you."

Her eyes were locked with his. Not even when another clap of thunder came did she flinch. Instead, she leaned forward and lay a kiss on the end of his skull. It was a sign of nothing but her complete trust and affection to him. One that wouldn't change so long as she was in his life. Chise laid back in his lap and snuggled him in his lap. Elias leaned down to nuzzle the top of her red hair.

She asked, "Did you mean it when you said you'd make me your bride, Elias?"

Ah. So that still lingered with her. Elias tightened his grip on her back when he replied, "Yes, but it's completely up to you, Chise. I won't force you into anything you wouldn't want to do."

Her response was endearing. "Why wouldn't I want to marry you?"

He looked down at her in disbelief before holding her close to his chest. The thunderstorm around them didn't matter anymore. Chise seemed to have forgotten about it already. If anything, Elias did more than what he needed to. There mere thought of Chise being his and his only gave him a great sense of love he hadn't felt before. She made her decision; He made his long ago.

"Then I'll get you another ring."


	6. Eating Out

**\- It's the third day in a row that they're eating frozen pizza. Person A complains to person B. Person B gets pissed and tells person A to cook themselves if "They're so done with seeing pizza on their plate,". Person A takes up the offer and cooks themselves. They end up with burned food created by chef person A. Person A apologizes and takes out person B for a dinner date as an apology.**

* * *

Confident green eyes met with red ones in a mirror set atop a desk. Their gaze was broken when the redhead turned back to her figure. She gave an expressive but brief twirl and stopped. Her eyes traveled the ends of her dress before she turned on her heel and looked to the dog laying on her bed. Chise gave him a nervous smile and an awkward curtsy.

"What do you think...?"

The dog eyed her from her red hair down to the sneakers she wore. Chise was wearing a casual blue dress with a sewn flower pattern at the ends. She had a blue headband to correspond the dress. She wore her necklace and ring as per usual. Her sneakers were her usual white ones and Ruth pondered on why she hadn't chose to wear her black boots instead. He dismissed it almost immediately when he saw Chise give him a smile.

He said, "You look wonderful. I'm sure _he_ will think so, too."

The blush she wore at his statement confirmed Ruth's suspicions. For some weird reason, Elias offered Chise a night out to a restaurant. His invitation was out of the blue and, if Ruth remembered correctly, threw his familiar off guard. She accepted only naturally and the first thing she decided to do was find the right outfit to wear. Why Chise would spend 15 minutes observing herself in front of the mirror left Ruth clueless. Isabel never did such a thing.

"May I ask why you're dolled up, by the way?" Ruth tilted his head. "It's just dinner. I'm sure he would have told you if it was a special occasion."

Chise didn't give him an immediate response. She took her time fixing up her hair in the mirror before she addressed his question. She sounded quite defensive which was the final confirmation for Ruth's thoughts.

She said, "Alice bought me this dress when we went shopping awhile ago. I've just found something to wear it for."

If he were in his human form, Ruth would be wearing a smug smile. He hopped off of the bed and circled around Chise like a big brother would. He ended his spectating and sat down on the floor. He looked rather satisfied but his next tone was troubled. He bowed his head so he wouldn't have to make eye contact.

He said, "Just make sure you're careful, Chise. The last time I didn't come with you somewhere, you nearly died. I don't want that happening again."

Chise bent down to ruffle his hair. A giggle escaped her throat and Ruth turned back to her. His scowl only made the redhead laugh more. He opened his mouth to defend himself until Chise held up a hand to stop him.

"You have nothing to worry about, Ruth. Before you came along, Elias was the one protecting me. If he didn't do a good job, I wouldn't be standing here right now."

Ruth took her words into consideration and sighed. She had a point. When he and Chise became familiars, he received her memories and watched ones with her and Elias. Within two days of meeting the magus was she manipulated by other creatures and had a knife held to her throat. Ruth was thankful Elias saved her then, but he was sure that Chise needing a familiar was rather necessary. She'd be in more trouble otherwise.

The two were interrupted by the Silky suddenly coming into the room. She gave Ruth an acknowledging nod before turning to Chise and looking her up-and-down. The redhead got a bit flustered and hid her hands behind her back shyly. Silky paid no mind to it as she adjusted Chise's headband and slipped a note into her hand.

Chise was about to open it until Silky suddenly swatted her hand away. She looked up and found the brownie shaking her head. The redhead was a little bit lost.

"Um...?"

"I think she wants you to open it after dinner." Ruth stated.

Silky turned over to him and gave him a thankful look. Chise let out an 'oh' and quickly tucked the note out of sight. She had no idea what might be on it. Silky ever so rarely left her any notes. The last time she did, she kicked Chise out of the house to go shopping with some money. Not that she wasn't thankful, but Silky was hard to read sometimes.

The brownie dismissed herself from the room and nearly bumped into Elias coming in. The magus excused himself from her and squeezed into the room. He was in his human facade but had not made any differences to his appearance like Chise did. Elias stood in the doorway for a moment and eyed Chise. The redhead tried to hide her blush as she took a step back nervously.

"Beautiful as always, Chise."

The sudden compliment took her back. He hadn't called her that before. And 'always'!? Did that mean he thought she was beautiful all the _time_? Chise steadied her breath and tried to stop from reddening further. Maybe she was just overthinking it and he was just being polite. Yes, that must be it.

"Are you ready?" Elias asked. Chise looked up at him and gave him a nod. She wasn't quite ready mentally but there was no point on keeping him waiting. Elias gave her a smile.

"Good. I'll be waiting for you at the door. And Ruth, make sure the Silky has company. I think she missed us the last time we were gone."

The magus took a hold of her hand and led Chise out of the door and down the stairs. Ruth followed closely behind them and felt a bit of guilt in his stomach. It worsened when he watched his familiar walk out of the door with Elias' hand on her back. Ruth sat down a foot away from the door and watched it in silence. He didn't move.

It was a rather selfish feeling, but his canine instincts gave him a sense of dread at the lack of her company. She was in good hands around Elias but Ruth was like her brother. It was his only sense of human emotion for him to be protective of Chise. He and Elias had a few things in common. They both cared for Chise and were well aware of her reckless decisions sometimes. But they loved her anyway.

Silky suddenly came to Ruth's side and gave him a scratch on the head. Ruth's tail naturally wagged at the contact and he let out a satisfied noise. He had to remind himself he wasn't alone.

* * *

Elias and Chise were walking in the direction of the woods. They'd been holding hands ever since they stepped foot out of the house. It was normal for them to do so and didn't have much meaning to anyone around them. For Chise, it just reminded her of the new life she was living and that she now had someone to cling onto. She assumed it meant nothing more for Elias. For some reason, her heart sunk.

"I forgot to ask. Where are we going to eat, Elias?"

"The Rules restaurant." He casually replied. Chise scrunched up her nose at the reply. She hadn't heard of THAT place before.

"Rules?"

"You'll see." Elias happily mused, grabbing Chise by the waist and tucking her next to him. Chise was at a loss for words until she saw him summon his cane and start chanting his usual spell for teleportation. Again, the redhead scolded herself for thinking it was more than he meant it to be. Thorns encircled the two of them as well as a blue aura. Darkness then came.

* * *

Within a second later of teleporting did Chise open her eyes and saw that they were in a different location. Chise looked around and marveled at all of the shops and tables around them. It looked like a gigantic mall or a shopping outlet. Lights decorated the interior and made it even more beautiful than she presumed. A man bumped into Chise's side and that's when she felt Elias usher her to the side of the sidewalk.

Still marveling at all the people around them, she turned to her fiance. Elias looked calm but she could tell that he was a bit overwhelmed by the crowds. Her grip on him tightened when she felt another person brush past her. This must be a busy part of London.

She asked, "Where are we, Elias?"

"Covent garden." He replied. "It has all sorts of shops, museums, and local theatres. I'm surprised you haven't been here before."

 _Me too,_ She thought. The two continued on without a word until they reached one of the restaurants. To Chise, it seemed like it was placed to the side. Elias greeted the doorman and the man stepped to the side and tipped his hat to the couple. The redhead was completely speechless as she gave him a polite wave. She was a bit unsure how to greet people here. When she turned around and saw the interior, she was at a loss for words.

The walls were lined with nothing but framed artwork and several tables in front of them were filled with adults. They were all sipping through wine glasses and Chise watched as waiters rushed around in formal attire. Chise made out a couple of small statues and busts that sat on mantles separating parts of the restaurant. She realized how thankful she was to herself for dressing up for this.

Elias fetched their table while Chise looked around in awe. Apparently he had booked a table for them a week in advance. The waiter led the two to their table, which happened to be in a corner and away from the other diners. Chise sighed in relief as she took a seat and nervously placed a napkin in her lap. Elias looked like he was stifling a laugh.

"Any beverages?" The waiter politely asked. He had a notepad held in his hand and was looking at the two rather patiently.

"I'll have a glass of black velvet and my girl here will have some fresh mint tea." Elias stated rather calmly.

Chise felt her heart skip a beat. His speech was so smooth and... _HIS girl?_ Had he referenced to her like that before? She knew Elias' knowledge on her favor of tea but it still surprised her to hear him order for her. She felt a bit embarrassed, actually.

When the waiter excused himself and said he'd be back, Elias picked up the menu and was browsing through it. He felt Chise's green eyes on him and he looked up to find the redhead staring at him. Chise seemed to have caught herself and quickly looked away. They were sitting next to some rather...peculiar art. She never really understood artistic expression.

"I'm guessing you have some questions, Chise?"

She looked over and found Elias with his menu down. His blue eyes looked at her intently and Chise felt herself blush. Was it that obvious...?

"Yeah..." She looked around. "What is this place? A 5 star restaurant?"

"Not exactly," Elias replied. "The Rules is London's oldest restaurant. It was established in 1798."

"Is it older than you?" Chise blurted out. She caught her question and slapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. She was about to apologize until she heard Elias chuckle.

"No, actually. It isn't. But it is known for having several famous figures here. Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, and John Galsworthy to name a few. The art around us is said to be a historical depiction of England. They serve traditional London food here. It isn't the most famous restaurant in the country. This place _does_ have generous reviews, though."

Chise took in his words as she looked around once more. She admired the detail in the interior decorating and didn't mind that it was one of the more classy restaurants. She picked up her menu and browsed through the selections. She coughed in surprise.

" _Elias!_ The courses here are over €20 each and the starters are €12!"

"Ah," The magus commented in realization. "I forgot to say. You can order whatever you'd like, Chise."

 _That didn't exactly answer my question..._ Chise sighed. The wine Elias ordered was a whopping €16.95. She can't say she was surprised, though. He was surprisingly wealthy. Buying her from the auction house costed far more than everything on this menu combined. Chise decided to actually browse the menu and ignore the prices.

In the midst of deciding on what she wanted, the waiter came back and gave them their drinks. Chise looked at her tea in surprise. It looked almost too beautiful to drink. Elias didn't hesitate on sipping from his poured wine glass and wiped his mouth. The waiter grabbed his notepad once more and looked at the two eagerly.

"Have you two decided on your courses?"

Elias looked over to Chise but she was too busy looking through the menu. The magus shrugged and looked to the water. He said, "We'll both take a Dorset Crab Salad to start and I'll have the Saddle of Rabbit."

The waiter wrote that all down before turning to Chise. The teenager noticed he was looking at her and she quickly corrected her posture. She said, "I'll take t-the Stuffed Breast of English Rose Veal..."

He wrote down her order swiftly before dismissing himself from the two and walking away. Chise watched Elias take a swig of the black velvet. She never saw him as the drinking type of person. Then again, he said he'd only have _one_ glass. He probably wasn't a big drinker. Chise couldn't quite imagine a drunk Elias, either.

"Is there an occasion?" She suddenly asked. Elias looked up at her and gave a warm smile. She couldn't help but return it.

"No, but I thought it was a good apology for what I've done. I did things out of impulse when I shouldn't have. I hope this makes up for it?"

Chise took a sip of her mint tea and tried to recall any things he'd done recently. Elias must be referring to awhile back. _She_ should be the one buying him dinner as an apology for everything she's done. Elias usually acted after thinking and was careful about his choices. He'd only left her only once to who-knows-where while she's left him plenty of times out of nothing but recklessness.

The redhead closed her eyes and savored the taste of the tea. Its quality was nothing she experienced before. She set down the cup and gave Elias a smile.

She said, "You have nothing to apologize for, Elias. I'm sure this dinner will be nice. I've never been to place like this before."

Elias took another swig of wine. He replied, "I have. I visited The Ledbury on an account of business before. While I don't favor the place, the food is rather high quality. I haven't dined anywhere else besides these types. You should take me sometime."

Chise blushed at the suggestion. Picturing him in a low-class restaurant just didn't seem natural. But judging by his feelings here...he probably would enjoy it better. The redhead looked up at him and gave him a nod. A blush was spread on her cheeks but she actually didn't mind it. Elias gave his fiance a smile and he set his glass back down on the table.

* * *

"You know, it's funny. People would consider something like this a date."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Like...a romantic arrangement between a couple."

"Doesn't that mean we're on one, then?"

Chise felt herself turn red again. She placed a hand in front of her face as she continued finishing the rest of her dinner. The food was high quality and she didn't want the meal to end. The starter Elias ordered for them was probably the best salad she's tasted. Granted, the portions they received were awfully small, but that's how rich restaurants went. She didn't understand it herself but she was thankful nonetheless.

Chise wiped her mouth with the napkin and set it atop the plate. She suddenly remembered the note Silky gave her before the date and tried to smoothly slip it out from her pocket. She unfolded it underneath the table and read it as best as she could.

 _"Order the Lemon Fool. You won't regret it."_

She tilted her head at the suggestion. Was it a dessert? Silky had good taste, so the redhead decided to trust her word and quickly glanced back at the menu. It was in the " **Puddings & Cheese**" portion, so she could only assume it was a type of sweet. Elias watched her put the menu back.

He asked, "Still hungry, Chise?"

She shook her head. "No. I just decided on what dessert I want."

The magus didn't question it any further. Their waiter soon came back and collected their dishes. When he asked if they wanted any dessert, Chise quickly ordered Silky's suggestion and the two of them waited a bit longer for it. Elias' portions tonight had been much smaller than hers. Was Silky suggesting it for her or him? She was going to believe her judgement either way.

"Did you enjoy the food?" He suddenly asked. Chise looked up at him and gave him another nod.

"Yeah. It was really good. I'm glad we didn't bring Ruth because he'd pig out and embarrass us."

Elias let out a small laugh. He was soon interrupted by the waiter coming back and placing their dessert in the center of the table. He then slid the bill over to Elias, who paid no mind to it. Two spoons were placed beside the cup of Lemon Fool. It looked like some sort of sundae to Chise. There were some blueberries in it and she could make out the sight of citrus marmalade.

Intrigued, Chise leaned forward and grabbed one of the spoons. She took a taste and let out an involuntary "mmm". Elias seemed curious and grabbed the other spoon. He took a portion of the dessert and tried it for himself. He took another large bite and Chise followed suit. The two of them finished it in less than a minute.

Chise was still munching on some blueberries while she watched Elias glance through the bill. No emotions came to his pupils as he set the piece of paper down and looked at the redhead in front of him. He observed her for a moment and smiled. He suddenly leaned forward and grazed his thumb on her chin.

Chise was about to ask why he did so until Elias pulled back. He sat back in his chair and licked something off of his glove. A blush came to Chise when she realized what he just did. She quickly checked if anything else was on her face. Elias gave her a rather smug smile.

"That was delicious. Good choice, Chise."

"Yeah..." She looked away from him. "It was really good. Thank you, Elias."

He stood from his chair and offered his hand out to Chise. She didn't hesitate when she grabbed it and let him lead her back to the front. Elias took a few minutes paying for their meal before he ushered Chise back out the door. The redhead took one last glance to the restaurant behind them before she and Elias walked back out on the sidewalks.

* * *

It was rather late. Chise and Elias were walking down the trail that led to their house. The sound of crickets chirping around them and the feeling of the cool air gave Chise a sense of peace. Her stomach was full and she experienced something she never had before. It wasn't their first date, technically, but it was the first _official_ one.

Chise rubbed her arm rather shyly. She said, "Thank you for tonight, Elias. Really."

"Don't thank me," He replied. "You deserved a dinner like that. I'm guessing you've never done it before?"

She shook her head. Elias gave her an amused glance and looked to their house in the distance. Chise realized how close they were to ending the night and she felt a sudden thought come across her. She looked back at Elias and noticed that he was still in his human glamour. A nervous feeling came to her chest.

"Elias...?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever kissed in your human form?"

Elias suddenly stopped in his tracks. Chise noticed it off the bat and stopped as well. Hearing his lack of response, Chise bit her lip nervously. Had she said something she wasn't supposed to?

"I haven't." Elias finally said. He turned to her and gave her a small smile. He asked, "Would you like one, Chise?"

Her heart beat quickened at his suggestion. She replied, "I...Just thought it'd be appropriate. To thank you for the dinner and all."

"Oh?" He tilted his head. "Well, you don't need to do _that_. I suppose a kiss wouldn't hurt, though."

Chise took a deep breath before going on her tiptoes and leaning into Elias' chest. He took this as a sign to lean down for her and he did so. A second after he felt Chise's lips lock with his. He was taken aback at the sudden contact but returned the kiss. He pressed his lips against hers gently.

Their kiss only ended when Chise's feet started to hurt. She soon went back down on her heel and looked up at Elias. For this first time she saw him actually _blush_. He cleared his throat when he realized Chise wasn't there anymore. Elias straightened himself and started walking back to the house. He heard her footsteps right behind his and something in his chest warmed him.

He murmured, "Damn..."

* * *

 **Sorry for the misleading title!**


	7. Laundry

**\- Person B's white shirt ends up in the wrong section of the dirty clothes for the washer, sorted by person A. Their white shirt is now a colored mess. Person A apologizes deeply, even though person B isn't mad at all. Person B cannot help but wonder how he fell in love with this dork.** _  
_

* * *

It was a beautiful Wednesday afternoon. The house was generously filled with sunlight and a warm atmosphere that radiated from the open windows. Chise Hatori quietly hummed as she carried a laundry basket up the stairs. Normally she'd have sung doing tasks like these but she was rather weary of doing so nowadays. She couldn't risk setting anyone under another spell after what happened with Elias. Chise decided to settle on humming one of her favorite tunes under her breath since then.

Clasped in her hands was one of the laundry baskets Silky gave her. Chise felt the brownie was doing so much around the house that she decided to help her with the laundry for the week. It took a lot of protesting and convincing, but Chise managed to get a silent "ok" from her. The redhead had plenty of free time after her lessons so she decided to gather everything she could and make it into a couple of loads.

Silky taught her how to do basic household chores, like cooking and cleaning. It was a bit contradicting of the brownie to do so but Chise assumed she had her reasons. A couple of nights ago when she was in the bath, Aerial told her that it was because a "good wife should know how to treat her husband".

Chise's reply, of course, was rushed and defensive. According to the fae, her and Elias were already wed. She'd have to ask him about that sometime.

"Ruth!" Chise called. "Come and help me!"

She heard the pitter patter of Ruth's steps before he was immediately at her side. Sighing, Chise handed him the basket in her hands and turned to go into Elias' room. Ruth quickly morphed into a human and he followed behind her closely. The magus wasn't there, much to Chise's relief. She couldn't imagine touching his clothes in front of him without being flustered.

She threw his shirts and pants into the basket before motioning for Ruth to leave the room. She made a stop into her bedroom and collected all the dirty laundry from there. Her familiar was watching her carefully.

He asked, "You're doing the laundry?"

"Yep," She replied.

Chise threw a pair of dirty socks into the basket. Ruth eyed the laundry in his hands and turned back to Chise. His eyes traveled over the two and he shook his head. He followed the redhead down the stairs and observed the way she was moving. It was rather satisfied and quick. Why she'd do something like this was out of the ordinary. He was having a hard time reading her lately and he wasn't quite sure why.

The redhead make a quick turn into a room down the hallway. The door she went in was usually closed by the Silky during the day. Ruth saw a pair of machines in there that he could only assume was for washing the laundry. He also saw a bucket tucked into the corner with sponges and various shampoos inside. He shivered at the memory of Silky giving him a bath in that thing.

Chise took the basket from his hands and dumped half of the laundry into one of the machines. She pressed a few buttons before adding some detergent and closing the lid. The sound of the machine kicking on a few seconds after startled Ruth. It sounded like it was scrubbing the clothes in water. He tilted his head curiously after.

"That's it?" He asked. "You set the clothes in and it just washes it for you?"

"Mhm." Chise nodded.

She pushed the basket aside and walked out of the room. Ruth gave a second glance to the machine before following her. She seemed to be looking around on the floor for any loose laundry. She picked up a couple of socks and tucked them into her arm. Ruth sniffed out anymore laundry to help her. Him scrunching up his nose was all Chise needed to see to know she missed any. Thankfully, they only missed a couple of pairs of socks and a shirt.

After adding it to the pile, Chise took a seat on the couch in the living room and let out an exhausted sigh. Ruth took a seat next to her and rolled into a ball. The redhead pet his black coat before glancing around the room and out of the window. She watched various neighbors fly around and laugh. It truly was a beautiful, peaceful day.

Grinning, Chise said, "Now we wait."

Ruth lifted his head. He asked, "For how long?"

The redhead shrugged. "It takes awhile to do laundry. I'd say in about half an hour at the most. After that's done, we set it in the dryer to get all of the water off."

"Hmm." The dog closed his eyes. "Sounds dull. No wonder it's a household task. I wonder how the Silky manages doing that everyday."

Chise nodded. She was truly thankful they had Silky to do all of the chores and cook for them. It'd be tedious to repeat it everyday and Chise had no idea how the brownie managed it all. She supposed there was a reason silkies were in charge of things like these. Humans found activities like that rather tedious but Silver seemed to find them amusing.

* * *

 ***BEEEEEEEP***

Ruth jumped at the loud noise and nearly leapt to the ceiling in surprise. Chise stood up straight once she heard it and made her way to the laundry room. Her familiar followed closely behind her and watched the redhead struggle with the lid. It soon unlocked and she lifted it up. While she gathered the wet clothes, Ruth heard her gasp.

"What!?" He exclaimed. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No..." Chise bit her lip. "It's worse..."

She turned around and held up a shirt. Ruth sniffed it and recognized the scent of lavender. He inspected it and found that it was pink. Which was rather odd because no one in the house wore such a color. He turned to Chise to ask what the fuss was until he realized it. The collar, the buttons, the length...

It was one of Elias' white shirts. It must have turned pink during the load. Chise gripped it in her hands and stared at it in silence. She accidentally sorted that one with the colors instead of the whites. Ruth sensed she was feeling a bit of despair and he nuzzled her side to comfort her.

"Hey," He said. "Don't panic. Maybe pink is Ainsworth's color?"

His attempt at a joke fell flat. Chise gave him a glare and made the dog back off. She turned back to the shirt and closed her eyes tightly. Ruth saw a tear fall from her eye and something in his stomach fell. He rushed back to her side and heard Chise refraining a whimper. Sad thoughts clouded her mind and Ruth didn't like any of them. She turned to her familiar and he saw her green eyes were rather damp.

She said, "I messed up. I only did the laundry to help Silky but instead I made things worse...How could I have done that?"

"It's not your fault!" Ruth defended. "It was just an accident. I'm sure she will understand if you just tell her. I'm sure she'll fix it, too."

The redhead turned back to the shirt. She said, "But I feel bad! This is my mistake and I should be the one to fix it. I just need to figure out how to fix this..."

Ruth sighed. This would be the part where Chise insists on doing things herself instead of asking for help when needed. Many of her friends, including himself and Elias, keep telling her that she shouldn't do things by herself all the time. It only causes harm and stress on her body. He'd assume with all the scolding she's received for things like this, Chise would learn. But his familiar was stubborn and he'd just to have to live with it.

Besides. He didn't know how to get rid of color-bleeding stains, either. So the best he can do was follow her around and help in any way he could.

Chise gathered herself and suddenly stood. She walked out of the room muttering something about white distilled vinegar and swearing at herself. Ruth wasn't liking the pressure she was putting on for a mistake. The redhead rounded a corner into the hallway and almost fell over when she bumped into someone. When Chise looked up, she immediately concealed the shirt behind her back.

She stuttered, "E-Elias! I'm sorry!"

The magus took a step back in surprise. His tall, lean frame was rather hard to knock over. He gathered himself before looking at his apprentice in surprise. He rubbed the front of his skull in pain. Chise felt immediate guilt of hurting him. She was about to apologize again until Elias suddenly removed his hand.

He said, "It's quite alright, Chise. What are you in a hurry for? Are you heading somewhere?"

Chise shook her head. She said, "I'm just looking for white vinegar. Do you know where any are?"

"I'm afraid I don't," Elias replied. "What may you be needing that for? Silky is usually in charge of tasks like those."

The redhead bit her lip at the guilt. Ruth noticed her lack of honesty and he sighed. He nudged Chise's side and motioned to Elias with his head. She got the message quickly and shook her head in return. The magus was looking over to the two rather lost. Ruth stepped behind her and eyed the shirt.

 _They say honesty is the best policy,_ He told her. _You should inform him before you tell Silky. Just in case she isn't able to fix it, that is._

"I'm sure she can! Chise muttered to him.

When Ruth gave her a look, the teen sighed. She knew he'd be bothering her about it until she confessed to someone. It was an embarrassing mistake to make and she just wished he understood that. If it were _her_ shirt, Chise would have had no problem telling Silver. She just felt really bad that it was Elias' she messed up on...

Elias heard the whispering between the two and leaned forward in concern. He asked, "Chi-"

" **ELIASIMSORRYIWASDOINGTHELAUNDRYFORSILKYANDIACCIDENTALYTURNEDYONEOFYOURTSHIRTSPINKBYMISTAKEPLEASEDON'TBEMADATME!** "

He stepped back in surprise at Chise's sudden outburst. He didn't catch any of that and gave her a look. The redhead took a breath before revealing the shirt behind her and looking way from him. Ruth watched as the sorcerer observed his shirt and realized the problem. Instead of being outraged like Chise assumed he'd be, Elias just leaned back and said nothing.

At the lack of a reply, Chise turned back to him in confusion. He exhaled rather sharply and she heard him chatter the back of his teeth gently. She understood this odd gesture from him. Something inside her fumed and she turned red.

"I'm feeling really bad about this and you're _laughing_!?" She exclaimed.

Elias noticed the angry tone of hers and immediately ceased. He placed a gloved hand over his skull and let out a couple of chuckles. Ruth seemed a bit lost at what was happening.

"I just find it rather funny," Elias replied. "-Of how adorable you are, Chise."

Her breath hitched in her throat. She wanted to be mad and retort something back to him, but she found nothing to say. She didn't find her mistake in any way humorous like he did. Then again, she didn't quite understand his sense of humor. Chise turned away in embarrassment at his compliment. The magus took a step in front of her and took the shirt out from her hands.

He continued, "This reminds me of the time Silky glued those googly eyes to my cloth. You remember that, Chise?"

The redhead laughed at the memory. Silky had drawn a face on Elias' cloth and attached a pair of googly eyes to it. When he wore it, Chise nearly died of laughter at the time. Elias had been so concerned about her that he made the eyes move so much she nearly lost it. Ruth got quite a holler out of it, too. Elias was a bit upset about it when he found out afterwards but Silky didn't get scolded for it. It was a rather good memory she'd think about from time to time.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Chise nodded. She said, "Yeah, I _do_ remember that. But what Silky did wasn't a mistake. That shirt in your hands was my wrong doing. I accidentally sorted your shirt into the colored pile..."

"No matter." Elias handed it back to her. "Just give it to Silver and she'll fix it. I'm sure she'll understand it was an honest mistake. She isn't an angry type of brownie, you know."

Chise smiled at his reassurance. She was relieved he wasn't upset about it like she pictured. The situation went much better than she expected. Maybe she should stop worrying about things like these and just confess to her mistakes. She'd be sure to pay more attention when sorting from now on, though.

Leaning down, Elias ran a hand through her short hair. She closed her eyes at the contact and found she was leaning into his hand. Elias let out an amused noise and inwardly smiled. She was utterly adorable.

He said, "You making a fuss out of this is too endearing, Chise. I want you to understand that I wouldn't ever be angry at something like this. Mistakes happen and just know that clothes are replaceable. You, however, are not."

A warm, soothing feeling spread through her body. Chise couldn't help but lean forward and wrap her arms around Elias' frame. Sometimes, she thought that he was too good for her. A monster that was feared by many, both fae and human, just called her _adorable_. He was such a softie in his own way and the redhead loved that about him. Maybe he was just soft for her and her only.

Squeezing his back, Chise inhaled deeply. She would never get tired of his musky scent. It was such a pleasurable feeling that gave her a sense of need. One she wouldn't act on for a long time, but was something she enjoyed whenever they made close contact. Elias wrapped an arm behind her back and gave her a squeeze in return.

Ruth, whom had been in the background, let out a satisfied noise. It was about time those two were more honest with each other.


	8. Movies

**\- It's finally Friday. Person A and B have had a busy week, person A has been working late and person B had to stay away for their work. They long for each other's company and are glad when they find themselves watching an old movie all cuddled up together.**

* * *

To the fae, Chise reminded them of a robin. The redhead had a pure sense to her that reminded the creatures and humans around her of innocence. She had the ability to explore the world around her at any given moment. Part of her longed to see the wonders she hadn't discovered and meet the different parts of fantasy. Despite the endless amount of possibilities for Hatori Chise, she chose the domestic part of mystical life. Back to her "nest", in a sense.

But more importantly, back to the Child of Thorn.

Chise often willingly left her house to meet new people and fae. She'd experience new struggles and of other people's lives and conflicts that she hadn't seen before. She befriended many and was beloved by various types of creatures around her. Despite being hunted by the portion of prey, the fae's Robin was always protected. By both Pilum Murialis and of her familiar, Ruth.

Said familiar was currently walking beside Chise in his dog form. The redhead was currently walking through a trail in the forest located near their home. They had been away for only a mere week, but to Chise it felt like an eternity. She had left the house to visit the college and meet the other teachers interested in her position. Her visit was heavily protested by Elias but ultimately decided when she gave him her trademarked puppy eyes.

She was grateful they went, for they met new friends and learned many things, but a longing feeling had been in her chest the moment they left. She was used to feeling this way but the sensation had grew rather cold overtime. Chise felt completely restless by their last day there and was all too eager to return to home. To return to _him_.

* * *

Elias Ainsworth was much in the same position.

As observed by the Silky before, he was rather quiet and secluded when Chise wasn't home. Despite granting her dismissals and being relatively okay with parting, he clearly had issues when she wasn't there. He was often at conflict with himself and found that anything and anyone around him was a complete and utter bore. It was a feeling he disliked greatly.

Elias was always up-to-date on his apprentice's whereabouts. The necklace around her neck was both a useful tool and an emergency tracker he had given her the day they met. He'd check where Chise was from time to time and would find himself rather eager whenever she was in his direction. He found himself longing for her return and waiting rather patiently for her to come back.

It wasn't a sight the fae were used to.

His visible cold feeling gave neighbors an uneasy atmosphere. It was a refreshment to his previous days that hadn't been good in the first place. He kept his self control to a minimal but his desires would often diminish around Chise's presence. She was a balance to the creature and she was the speck of light encapsulated in his darkness. He needed her as much as she needed him. The two were aware of this fact but it remained as a silent message between them.

Elias Ainsworth browsed through the book held in his gloved hands with disinterest. He was well informed of the content within the pages but held it for the sake of keeping him preoccupied. He had absolutely no plans for the day and decided to check on Chise's progress while she was away. The books she had stacked in her room were ones he went through with her ages ago.

He set it down back on her desk and exhaled. He made his way into the dining room and took a seat at the head of the table. Silky gave him a brief nod as she disappeared into the kitchen to prepare lunch. Elias leaned back in the chair and took a glance outside the window. Various birds tweeted in the summer scene and Elias could make out the couple of pounds in his backyard.

"Hmm." He mused to no one. "The koi fish look rather hungry."

A feeling in the pit of his stomach was telling Elias that the whole scene was rather pathetic. He was an ancient sorcerer that was normally occupied with his own business and refused to care for anyone that didn't interest him. Yet here he was patiently waiting for his student to return from a week trip that _he_ let her go on.

The magus shook that thought off and turned back to the table. It was carved mahogany with a shade of light brown. He had replaced the previous table after moving into the house many years ago. He preferred interior taste as a mix rather than the ancient, decorative style the previous owner had. The poor thing was so hold that it had splinters on its sides.

 _"Elias? I'm home!"_

The creature of thorn perked up at the feminine voice. To any bystanders, it'd have reminded them of a puppy when their owner was home. He turned to exit his chair until he heard Chise's footsteps running into the dining room. When the redhead's eyes landed with his, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his frame.

She exclaimed, "Elias!"

At the sound of her voice, the Silky peeked into the room. She found Elias and Chise hugging on the chair and quickly went back into the kitchen to retrieve more tea and sandwiches. Silver briefly made her way out afterwards and offered it to the two of them with a bow. It was a silent gesture of gratefulness that Chise was back from her trip. If the brownie had known of her return sooner, she'd have made a much bigger lunch.

Chise let go of Elias and took her share. The redhead ate it as fast as it came and gulped the green tea in her cup. The magus beside her was far too occupied with the sight of Chise to have eaten his. He set down his plate on the table and gave her the warmest greeting as he had before.

He said, "Welcome home, Chise."

The teenager wiped her mouth with a napkin and gave the magus a smile. The look she had told Elias that she had plenty to say about her visit. Ruth took a seat next to her in his human form and leaned forward on the chair. He was mentally preparing himself to explain any detail Chise would miss out or if she'd have held back on anything. It was a rather unnecessary part of being a familiar but the redhead's honesty needed some improvement.

She said, "Thanks, Elias. The trip was really interesting. Mind if I tell you about it?"

"Not at all." He replied.

He sat forward in the chair and gave an attentive look to Chise. It was a signal for her to go into story and explanation about her trip to the college. Chise adjusted herself on the chair and leaned over to him. Elias eyed her with interest.

She began. "There were a lot of teachers and students there that were really interested in magic. I met with Tory there and he explained more to me about the classes and the college. I was really flattered they invited me and all, but what I thought most while touring was about _our_ lessons."

"Oh?" Elias tilted his skull. Chise nodded.

"Yeah, I saw some of the topics they were teaching and it was stuff that you and I already went over. I feel that the place wouldn't have challenged me enough and I declined everyone's invitations of staying. Again. I mean, I couldn't have said yes without your permission as it is...I know you already said no to them but they were pretty persistent."

"She didn't join any clubs or anything, either." Ruth added beside her. "I made sure she said no to all of the offers."

"Ah. Good."

Chise bit her lip and looked away from the magus. She said, "I _did_ accept one thing, though. They offered me a gift when I told them no to joining. What they showed me was just too cool to refuse. I hope you aren't mad."

The redhead turned to her familiar and motioned for him to get what they brought. Ruth grabbed a stack of CDs out of nowhere and placed them on the table. He slid the cases over to Elias. He eyed them for a few moments before deciding to pick the stack up and quickly glancing over through it. The cases themselves were brand new and still wrapped. He picked one up and glanced at both sides of it.

He asked, "Movies?"

"Yeah!" Chise exclaimed. She caught her excited tone and cleared her throat. "I mean...we can throw them out if I can't have them. These are recent disks of some old movies. I thought you'd like at least one of them so I brought them with me. Do you see any that interest you?"

Elias looked back down at the pile. He decided to read through the summaries on the back of the cases and took his time going through them. Whilst the magus occupied himself, Chise was twiddling her thumbs and nervously tapping her boot on the chair. Ruth caught onto her uneasy demeanor and watched Elias intently. He had no idea what the magus would think of them. The selection was rather...dark.

After awhile of browsing, Elias set down the last DvD. He said, "More than half of these are about monsters eating humans. Are you sure you want to hear my two cents?"

"Y-Yeah." She rubbed the back of her head. "These movies aren't meant to offend anybody, but...I realize they haven't quite had their research on this. If you don't like them, just tell me."

Elias let out a rather amused noise. Chise was about to inquire about it until he held up a single case. Her green eyes read the title and she suddenly felt embarrassed. In his gloved hand was the movie " _Beauty and the Beast_ ". She couldn't quite remember why she accepted that one. She wasn't a big fan of Disney films as it is.

"I noticed you picked this cartoon," Elias explained. "This summary is rather...brief. Is it any good?"

"I haven't watched it for awhile, actually." Chise leaned forward and took the case from him. She observed the summary for herself and chuckled. "You're right, though. There's always a lot more to a movie than its description. It's pretty good in my opinion."

"Then let's watch it."

Elias suddenly stood and took the case from her hands. He started walking out of the dining room without a word. Chise only had a few seconds to realize the situation and caught up with him soon after. He was heading into his library with the case clutched in his hands. Ruth was following the two with interest. He hadn't seen the movie himself but, judging by Chise's thoughts, it was probably hitting closer to home for her than he'd think.

The magus entered the room and unwrapped the case. He took the CD out from its spot and entered it into the player. A tv was placed atop one of the mantles and a player was right below it. The dust and cobwebs that had been on the screen magically disappeared. It was a rather old model of a television but was still recent considering the years. Chise eyed it before turning to her fiance in confusion.

She asked, "Elias? You have a TV?"

He nodded but said nothing. Instead, he sat on one of the benches across from the mantle and patted the spot next to him. Chise took his invitation as she took a seat next to him and let Ruth sit beside her. The three were watching the screen as it suddenly started to play previews. The sound sounded a bit outdated but Chise wasn't going to complain.

"I guess I just never noticed it." She shrugged. "This library of yours is always dusty, Elias."

"I suppose it was just hiding." He replied. "I don't use it often because the neighbors around us are always curious about how this technology works. The few times it was on, I had plenty of aeriels blocking the screen. I suppose they're not going to be a bother now."

Chise mouthed an 'oh' as she turned back to the screen. She got up from her seat and pressed the buttons to skip to the menu. She then hit the play button and quickly returned to her seat. Disney movies were always so loud and had musicals in every corner of the film. She was secretly hoping that Elias wouldn't mind it and get uninterested in the middle of the movie.

* * *

When they were a quarter into the movie, Chise decided to look at Elias' reaction. She discreetly turned during one of the songs and eyed his skull. His pupils didn't have much expression but they were locked on the screen. She could only assume he was intrigued in a way. A smile came onto her lips soon after and she turned back to the screen.

"So this girl is an outcast 'cause she likes to read?" Ruth bluntly asked.

Chise turned to her familiar and nodded. He rolled his eyes in return and murmured something about cliches under his breath. Elias said nothing and Chise took a moment to think about the movie. Disney movies were always about love and expected turns of events but that was the fun of it. She supposed it wasn't Ruth's forte but she was clueless to Elias liking it or not.

She turned to him and nudged his shoulder. She asked, "What do you think so far, Elias?"

"I'm not thinking much, if that's what you're asking." He replied.

Chise opened her mouth to ask him further but soon shut it afterwards. There wasn't much use to questioning him about something he probably wasn't too familiar with. Instead, Chise decided to take advantage of this silence. She quietly slipped into Elias' lap when he wasn't looking and held onto the end of his robe.

The magus noticed almost immediately and looked down at her in surprise. She expected him to push her off but instead felt his gloved hand rest on her back. Chise looked up at Elias but only found the sight of his jaw return to her. His fingers were rubbing her shoulder blade and a rather satisfied feeling came to her.

Chise closed her eyes and leaned forward into his vest. She gently placed his robe over her shoulder and nuzzled the texture of his necklace. He was really warm. And since she's seen this movie before, it wouldn't cause any harm if she fell asleep just for a bit. The trip back really tired her and she found the best place to rest was in Elias' lap. He made no move of protest so she took it to advantage and started to fall asleep.

* * *

"Don't ever pick another Disney movie, Chise."

The redhead perked up at the sound of Ruth's voice. She sat up in Elias' lap and turned back to the screen. Two words were placed in the middle of a black slide. It read: " **THE END** ". A few seconds after, the credits started to roll in.

Chise rubbed her eye and looked around the room. How long was she asleep? Movies were usually about 2 hours. She must have been out cold before Ruth said something.

She turned to look at Elias and found him staring at the floor. He looked a bit troubled. She rested a hand on his chest and rubbed the bottom of his jaw. He felt the contact and lifted his skull gently to give Chise some room to get out from his lap. The redhead almost hesitated to do so but got up anyway and turned to him.

She asked, "Is something wrong, Elias?"

He looked at her in thought. He rested his skull in his hand and exhaled. He said, "The way this movie portrays magic is rather boring. I liked the rose element but the whole 'curse' nonsense just seemed as a forced aspect. It's a dull spell to have someone cursed with a misguided look, you know. Especially when you give it a cure."

"Is it?" Chise tilted her head. "I didn't know you could do that in real life. I suppose, with _my_ curse and all, it's possible."

Elias' eyes traveled around the room for a moment. That troubled look came back to his eyes. He added, "I also found it a bit odd on how they portrayed that beast. He was accepted by everyone once he got turned to a human, but was beloved by that girl beforehand. She seemed rather happier once he looked more like her."

Chise took a moment to recall the ending and nodded. She said, "Oh, yeah. Belle broke his curse and he turned back to a handsome human. I always thought it was a lame ending, to be honest."

"Do you think..." His voice was low. "...That you'd be happier if _**I**_ was human, Chise?"

Her mouth immediately went agape at the question. Even Ruth was a bit startled at the sudden idea. The redhead immediately shook her head and waved her hands in front of her. Elias leaned back at her reaction and was still giving her a doubtful look. Chise felt something in her chest warm her. How...Why would he even say such a thing!?

"Of course not!" She finally exclaimed. "I like you the way you are, Elias. And I'm really happy with how things are now."

Elias seemed more calm but wasn't fully assured. Chise let out a rather aggravated sigh and looked to Ruth for help. When she found he was no longer in his seat but in her shadow, she groaned. She ran a hand through her hair and tried to gather her thoughts. Maybe this was why Elias locked himself in his room sometimes to figure out what to say.

She took a deep breath and said, "Elias, don't worry. It's just a movie. I'm sure that life doesn't work out like that and all. In fact, I think you're even more handsome than that beast."

Immediately, Chise slapped a hand over her mouth. She didn't mean to say that. Sure, she was _thinking_ it, but it wasn't supposed to _come out_! A panicky feeling suddenly came to her as she turned back to Elias. He looked rather surprised and was staring at her. She saw him take a breath.

"Chise..."

"I-I mean!" Time to save herself. "The beast looked nothing like you, Elias. You're really different than him. Plus, you're not cursed. You're _you_!"

The magus didn't look convinced. Chise wanted to bury herself when she watched him get up from his seat and walk over to her. She hid the blush coming onto her face and covered her eyes with her hands. She felt his robe circle around her and she peeked through her fingers. He was covering her from something and she felt Ruth panic in her shadow.

He asked, "Do you really believe so, Chise? That I'm attractive to you? I'm supposed to be scary, after all."

She found nothing or anyone around her besides him talking to her. Ruth's presence was absent and she heard her own voice inside her head. Her mind was repeating the word 'yes' and nothing was protesting against it. It was the bare truth that she'd been trying to hide all along. He always had been aesthetically pleasing to her. Compared to all the creatures she'd seen in the fae world, Chise found her husband to be the most attractive of them all.

Without hesitation, she replied. "Yes."

Elias took her reply in for a few moments. He soon scooped her up by the feet and rested Chise in the crook of his arm. She held onto his skull to balance and he nuzzled the side of her face rather happily. That had been the reply he was hoping for.


	9. Waiting for Him

**\- Person A is working late. They come home to person B sleeping on the couch with 3 empty cups of coffee close to them. Person B was waiting for person A to come home.**

* * *

The sound of the leaves being raked by the cold wind was deafening. It disguised the sounds of the animals rustling in nearby bushes as well as the hooting of owls. Two aspects that, when given on a cold and dark night, would be utterly eerie. The raking sounds they made resonated far in the deep forest around them. The dark was home to many dangerous creatures, after all. They are what gave the realistic vibe of ancient England.

A window was open half way in the den of the Ainsworth household. In front of it lay a teenager who stared outside at the scene rather longingly. In her hands was a cup of coffee that had been long overdue from the cold. The steam that once escaped the hole in the lid diminished when another draft came by. Chise held the blanket around her closer and shivered. Her low temperature came obvious to the company that had been laying at her feet.

Ruth wrapped his long body around her and did his best to provide her with his warmth. His long coat could only give so much. She had been waiting like this for several hours now. She was awaiting the return of one of the most dangerous creatures the fae land had known. The arrival of the last of his kind, Pilum Murialis. To her, however, he was her loved fiance.

"He's going to come back."

Chise turned at the sound of her familiar's voice. Ruth's red eyes were looking at her intently. Her hand shook as she took another sip of the coffee and she rubbed her eyes. Caffeine was the only thing fueling her enough to be awake at this hour. She waited exactly like this yesterday night. A feeling of sadness washed over her when she gazed out the window again.

"3 days, Ruth. He's been gone for 3 days." Her voice cracked.

Elias left one morning with a note on the fridge. It said he was going to be away and he didn't know when he was going to return. Chise didn't think much of it on the first day. On the second day, however, she started to worry. Every minute she'd be checking outside the door and waiting right next to it every night for his return. Much like she was doing right now.

"You know he can take care of himself." Ruth rested his head in her lap. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him hurt. Except that time where you ate at his arm but he regenerated it back."

His consolation didn't help her. Chise stared down at her cup of coffee and took one last swig. It's obvious that it wasn't helping. She had bags under her eyes and her body was completely limp. At any moment she was going to pass out and Ruth was prepared for it. She had been trying to stay up all night waiting for him but they both knew that it wouldn't work for her human body. She needed sleep at some point.

Chise was drinking more coffee than usual. Her hands tingled and her heartbeat was going a lot more faster than it should. It wasn't something good for her because her body would be more exposed to absorbing more magic. Ruth was sure to tell Silky that, if she asked for anymore, to make it decaf. The redhead would object to it but her familiar knew what was best for her. And waiting for her monster fiance to return for three days to an end was _not_ good for her health.

Ruth rolled his eyes. "I get it. You miss him. But you really need to sleep. He'll probably come back in the morning and you two can settle it out then. For now, you need to get to bed."

Chise crossed her arms stubbornly. She said, "I'm not moving."

"Then at least rest your eyes. For me."

The redhead looked at the dog and noticed the expression he wore. It looked very caring and wasn't something she'd see him with often. He always was such a stubborn big brother to her. Chise gave into his demands and set the cup of coffee down on the table next to the couch. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulder and laid down on the decorative pillow silently.

Ruth watched her close her eyes and didn't relax until he heard her steady her breathing. She was out in only 2 minutes. The dog turned his head and sighed. It just proved to show what extent she'd put herself through for _him_. He was glad they admitted to each other but they were still ways from being honest with one another. He sometimes felt like a match maker when he urged them closer.

He turned his attention now to the front door. Where on Earth could Elias have disappeared to? It wasn't out of the ordinary for him to leave but it certainly was odd that he'd been gone for so long. Part of him wanted to scold the creature as soon as he returned, but Ruth knew better.

* * *

The clock rang through the house. Ruth awoke with a start on the edge of the couch and checked the time. It read 3 A.M. He turned to his familiar sleeping next to him and noticed that she was still deep in slumber. Ruth felt relieved and rested his head down on the cushions. He must have fallen asleep staring at the door. Apart of him regretted not sneaking some coffee from Chise. Her staying up these past few days resulted in him joining her. He must've not noticed the sleep he was losing through it all.

A sudden click made the dog's ears perk up. The knob on the front door twisted and slowly opened. The creaking sound of it was dragged yet made to sound subtle. A moment after, a pair of white eyes met with Ruth's red ones. He immediately relaxed when he saw the shadow step inside and close the door behind him. Elias looked the same as usual and it seemed that nothing had changed since he left. This only brought more questions to Ruth about his whereabouts.

Elias hung his robe up and dusted the cold off from him. He turned around and stopped in his tracks when he saw Ruth again. The dog realized that the whole situation must have been quite a sight. He was laying on the end of the couch next to his familiar, whom was snuggled in a blanket right next to an open window. Three empty coffee cups sat on the table beside them as well as a couple of stains from them. It probably wasn't something Elias had seen before.

"Where have you been?" Ruth asked.

Elias stepped forward and took the cups of coffee off from the table. He inspected them for a moments before he addressed Ruth's question. He said, "Business."

"You know what I mean."

He didn't get a response. Elias brought the three cups into the kitchen with him and discarded them all in the trash. He went back into the room and paused to take a look at Chise. The bags were still under her eyes and she looked paler than usual. He crouched down to place a gloved hand to her forehead. His pupils widened in surprise.

"She's freezing. What on Earth has she been doing?"

Ruth took a moment to feel her skin. Elias wasn't exaggerating. The mere touch of her felt as if you were touching an ice pack. The blankets around her apparently hadn't been much help, nor had Ruth's coat. The familiar automatically felt guilty and hung his head down in shame. He should have done more for Chise when he could have instead of letting her wait and worry. He watched Elias get up and shut the window behind her. The cold draft that was once in the room was now gone.

He said, "She's been waiting for you, Ainsworth. Chise hasn't been taking care of herself since you've left. It's been...a long 3 days."

Elias wrapped his arms around her sleeping figure and picked the redhead up with ease. Her body's response was to naturally curl up in his touch. He wrapped the green blanket fully around her and took a seat on the couch. He rested Chise in his lap and was holding her as close to his body as he could. Ruth could tell that he was warming her like he had before, except closer. The dog took a seat next to him and watched the two silently.

Chise's hand suddenly rose and reached out for Elias'. He gave it to her and felt her fingers entwine with his gloved ones. Her touch was cold but he was unaffected by it. Chise nestled her head on his vest and laid a small kiss on the side of his skull. Ruth was unsure if she was doing it out of impulse or was just half awake. She didn't move after that and answered the two males' question.

"Where have you been, Elias?" Ruth asked.

He tightened his grip on Chise's hand. His white pupils didn't address Ruth but landed on his fiance in his arms instead. He started rubbing her hand to try and warm her touch.

"It was for her cure." He answered.

Ruth let out a relieved yet amused sound. Chise had many situations and thoughts running through her mind while he was gone. Ridiculous ideas that weren't sensible at all, even though they seemed so at the time. He had no idea why, but it relieved Ruth to know that Elias only left to try and find her cure. Perhaps Chise's suspicions had rubbed off on him and he was starting to believe them as well. It was stupid of him to do so and he felt the need to bring it up.

"She thinks of the most ridiculous things while you're gone." Ruth shook his head. "At one point, she thought you were cheating."

"Cheating?" Elias inquired.

He exaggerated his arms. "It's when one lover goes off and has a romantic affair with another. Usually behind the other lover's back."

Elias tilted his skull. He looked down at Chise curiously but she was fast asleep. It wasn't like her to doubt him like that. She never worried about others before and it was obvious she trusted Elias dearly. She gave him her own life to hold in his hands ever since they had gotten closer. He'd guarded it closely to prove himself faithful to her. The idea of him going for another when he had already chosen a mate was completely out of the question.

His silence wasn't very assuring to Ruth, though. The dog leaned over to him and gave him a worried look. Elias noticed it right away and snorted.

"My kind are monogamous," He informed. "I would never do such a thing. Nothing ever to her."

Ruth gave him a pleased nod. "-As I thought. You should really take care of her, though. She wouldn't let me do anything for her so long as you were gone."

He bows his head. "...She really worries about you. When you're not here, she'll put herself through Hell until you come back. She loves you."

Elias takes his words in and hums. He ushered the blanket over her shoulder and held her closer to his chest. Ruth was unsure if what he said affected anything but he was glad to get it off his chest. Elias really needed to be aware of the things she does when he isn't here. How much he means to her when he isn't within her reach. It was something Chise herself should tell him.

Ruth jumped off the couch and started heading towards the stairs. He turned around and said, "I'll be in Chise's bed. Be sure to keep her warm and if you need to spend the night with her, I'm fine with that."

His footsteps climbing up the stairs was the last thing Elias heard. He watched as the dog's tail disappeared into the second floor. He turned back to the sleeping girl held in his arms and pulled her closer. She was still cold but was doing better than she had been before. He couldn't say that he was proud of what she had done but it made his insides flutter knowing that she cared him about so much. Elias got off from the couch and gently laid her back down on the cushions. He was about to leave until he felt Chise pull on his arm.

Tired green eyes met with his. She muttered, "Please...don't leave..."

He leaned down and nuzzled her head. "I'll be back. I promise."

Her grip on him loosened and he took this chance to pull away. He walked down the hallway into the bathroom and turned the light on. Elias went to start the water and took off his glove to feel the temperature. Not too hot but warmer than usual. He dried his hand and added some healing herbs into the water. He stirred them around before turning out from the bathroom and going back into the den.

Chise was still on the couch. She was supporting her body with one arm and was rubbing underneath her left eye. As soon as she saw her fiance step into the room, the redhead immediately got up and ran to him. She embraced him as they usually did and she squeezed his body close. Elias placed a hand to her back and couldn't help but notice that she was colder.

She mumbled, "I...mi...y.."

"Come on." He picked her up bridal style. "I drew a bath for you, Chise."

She was still groggy but understood. She gave Elias a warm smile and rested her head on the end of his skull sleepily. Elias tightened his grip on her and he led her into the bathroom. He set her down on the tilted floor and watched as she took a step towards the tub. Chise stared down into the water before she dipped a hand in to test it. An inescapable moan came from her throat soon after.

"Make sure to soak yourself completely." Elias started to head out of the room. "I'll be in the-"

"Elias?"

He turned around and saw the yearning look on her face. She looked... _sad_. Her green eyes were expressionless when she took a step forward and extended her arm out. Elias eyed her confusingly before he placed his hand into her own. She smiled at their contact and squeezed his hand happily.

She asked, "Can you stay in here while I bathe?"

He saw no harm in it. Elias had seen her naked the day he bought her, after all. But that was only because she really needed a bath at the time. He nodded his skull and felt something in his heart leap when she grinned. She wrapped her arms around him again before she turned around and started to peel off her clothes. Elias immediately shut the door behind them and locked it.

Her demand couldn't have been out of desire. Maybe she just yearned for his prolonged company? He couldn't quite blame her. That trip had taken a day more than he intended it to be. When Chise was completely naked, she took a step into the bath and sighed happily at the contact of warm water. Elias took a seat on the closed toilet and watched his fiance sink into the water.

Chise was beautiful. He said it before but he'd say it again. Her red hair was getting longer over the years and her body was starting to develop wonderfully. When he bought her she was all thin and bones and clearly was deprived of sleep. Elias was thankful she took care of herself when she needed to and he was quite pleased with her progress.

She observed the herbs in the bath and closed her eyes to rest on the back of the tub. Things were silent between them until she suddenly turned around to face Elias. He'd been watching her the whole time intently. He leaned forward with his gloved hands clasped and rested his elbows on his knees. It reminded her of how he sat on the couch when he first explained to her what a Slay Vega was.

"Where did you go?"

Her sorrowful tone made Elias regret ever leaving. He tugged at his collar and replied, "I went to find more about your cure. I'm close to knowing what I need, at least."

Chise was pleased with his response but he could tell she was still sad. Was that because he hadn't been there? Was she lonely like he had been when she left him? If that were the case, no wonder she was so cold. He'd been in the same position when Chise left him temporarily.

"I missed you..."

She realized what she said and quickly dunked her head underwater so she wouldn't have to face him. Elias made no move of protest to get her. He probably knew that she couldn't hold her breath for too long. After a minute, the urge to breathe became too overwhelming so Chise surfaced and looked at him. Elias was still in the position he had been when she was underwater. A blush came onto her face and she turned away.

"Is that so?" Elias asked. "I was lonely when I left. I suppose that means I missed you, too?"

Her blush deepened. She wasn't flustered at all but was just...very longing. A part of her wanted to jump out from the bath and hug him to bits while the other part of her wished he was in there with her. She missed him ever since he set foot out the house and had images of them doing these things while he was gone. Things she wouldn't mention but would come up when she was alone in her room thinking about him again.

"Did you really think I would cheat?"

Chise's head snapped towards him at the sudden question. Things started to click and she suddenly realized how he knew about that. She closed her eyes and scolded. _Ruth!_

 _Don't drag me into this._

She took a breath to steady herself and looked back at him. Elias was looking at her with amusement. She twirled her hair in her finger and bit her lip. It was a dumb thing she doubted for only an hour before she talked herself through it. She couldn't deny that the insecurity was there, though.

"I didn't think you would..." She looked away from him. "I just worry, is all."

"Well, you shouldn't. We _are_ married, you know."

He leaned down next to the bath tub and rested his arms on the edge. Chise looked over at him and couldn't help but smile. His assurance to her was so endearing and it made her feel ridiculous for ever doubting him. Maybe her worrying only came from how handsome he was and she neglected to remember that the fae knew of their matrimony far before she did.

She leaned towards him and placed a kiss on his skull. Elias' eyes widened when she pulled back shyly. Chise went back to bathing herself and left a rather stunned Elias to stand there on his knees and stare at her. His gloved hand went over the area she kissed and he felt tingly. It may be a guilty of him to say this but he secretly wished she'd give him more kisses.

Chise finished rinsing her auburn hair and looked over at him. It looked like he was frozen in place. She couldn't help but giggle. She leaned forward again and started placing more kisses on his skull. Each one left a temporary wet imprint in its place. Elias leaned forward at the affection and curved his pupils delightedly. Chise caught onto this and refrained the urge to squeal.

 _"Aww, how adorable!"_

The two of them looked over and found Ariel watching them with her arms crossed. She was a small, fairy-like creature whose appearance was rather distinct and hard to describe. Chise pulled away from Elias and concealed herself in the water so she wouldn't comment on her nudity. Ariel hummed rather happily as she flew around the two.

"What are you doing here?" Elias asked. He sounded annoyed.

"I'm just checking up on our Robin!" Ariel casually replied. "She's been so cold ever since her Thorn left. But now that I see you're back...everything is fine, isn't it?"

"Yes, so shoo."

Ariel stuck her tongue out at Elias and flew in front of Chise. She eyed the girl up and down and a mischievous smile soon came to her face. Ariel flew towards the redhead and laid a small kiss on the end of her nose. Chise's green eyes widened and she leaned back at the sudden gesture. Ariel turned over to Thorn and gave him a wink. Elias didn't look too happy at this.

"Um...Ariel?" She rubbed her arm and looked away. "I'm kind of busy here, so-"

"Oh, I know! You and Thorn are finally acting more as a wedded couple. Can't say that I'm not jealous-"

Elias gave her a glare. " _Out._ "

Ariel huffed but obeyed, nonetheless. She disappeared within thin air and left the two alone again. Chise felt a bit guilty on letting herself be kissed. The fae did it to her a lot but it had never happened in front of Elias. And judging by his reaction...he didn't seem to like it too much. She actually felt relieved that he cared and a bit selfish that she enjoyed his jealousy. There's that nagging feeling again...

"I'm sorry about that, Chise." Elias leaned over the tub. "Ariels can be an annoyance, sometimes."

"Hey, Elias." She turned to him. "Why do the fae...kiss me?"

His response was casual, which worried Chise. He said, "Since you are a rare Slay Vega, the fae are more attracted to you. For many types of fae, Slay Vegas are often more desirable than natural mates."

She tilted her head curiously. "Then why haven't they...you know? Tried to-"

"They know you belong to me." He kissed her cheek. "And I would much prefer it that way."

His words made her heart flutter. Chise leaned forward to kiss his skull again and held the sides of it with her hands. Elias enjoyed the affection once more. Chise couldn't help but notice that his hand was on her shoulder and that he was rubbing the side of her arm soothingly. Her skin was no longer cold but was now extremely hot. Which was probably because of a few factors but it was good progress, nonetheless.

The redhead leaned back in the bath and scooted towards the edge. She reached out for him and asked, "Join me?"

Elias squeezed her hand and went to unbutton his vest. He didn't hesitate to rid his attire and throw his clothes into the pile on the floor. He stepped into the tub with her and took a look at his beautiful bride. Her eyes were now filled with a profound happiness he hadn't seen before. She scooted towards Elias and wrapped her arms around his neck to nuzzle his collarbone. He placed his hands on her back and rested his skull on her shoulder.

He bathed with her for the rest of the morning. He was reunited with his Robin. His beautiful, beautiful bride.


	10. Spring Cleaning

**\- It's raining. Person A and B stay at home to do some spring cleaning. They put on some music and work, soft rain noises still hearable. Every now and then, they stop for a small kiss.**

* * *

There was a soft, ongoing sound of the rhythm of raindrops. They landed on the windows, the roof...even the sound of them hitting the pavement outside was audible. The house secluded from the busy rush of England nights was completely silent. Inside of it was 18 year old Chise Hatori, who was currently at her desk studying yet another recipe for a potion. She and Elias had just finished their tutoring session only an hour ago.

Chise tapped her pencil against her cheek in thought. She leaned down to scribble the rest of her notes. She glanced through them a final time and smiled. Finally done! The redhead quickly tucked them under the desk, making sure it was out of anyone's view. If Elias saw that she was taking notes again, he'd burn them and probably limit the books to only their sessions. That was the last thing she needed when studying.

"It's really gloomy outside." Ruth suddenly commented. The black dog had been sitting on her bed and staring out of the window thoughtfully. Chise turned around and admired the scene for herself.

"So long as a storm doesn't kick in, I'm fine."

She turned around and started collecting her books. She organized them by subject and piled them to the side. She was about to take off her boots until she heard a couple of quiet knocks on the door. If they had been any lower, she probably wouldn't have heard them. Chise quickly picked up the rest of the papers and concealed them behind her back just in case it was Elias.

"Come in!" She granted.

The Silky peered into the door before she suddenly stepped inside. She was in her usual pink working clothes and had her hat on like always. Chise noticed that in her hands was a broom, a dustpan, and some furniture polish. The brownie took a step forward and suddenly ushered the items into Chise's arms. The redhead held them in confusion and looked up at her. Silky's stare was very hard to read.

"Um..." The teen tilted her head. "Do you...need help cleaning, Silky?"

She held up her hand and gave Chise a "sorta-sorta" type of gesture. She gave her a quick bow before she suddenly exited the room and left the redhead there to stand in silence. Chise turned to her familiar on the bed and gave him a hopeful look. The dog jumped off from the pillows and sniffed the cleaning tools thoroughly.

"I didn't want you to sniff them!" Chise batted his nose away. "I was wondering if you wanted to help me?"

"If Silky wanted to give me a task, she would have done so." Ruth snorted. "-I think she wants you to help out on the spring cleaning."

That's right. It was around spring time and that probably explained why Silky had been busier than ever. Chise felt some guilt come to her stomach so she quickly threw the papers to the side and exited her room. She came downstairs and found Elias doing something in front of the grand clock.

When Chise got a closer look, she noticed that he had something in his gloved hand and was leaning over to see the top of the clock. He was tall enough that he only needed to crane his neck to see it. His hand was in a swaying motion and Chise felt the pieces of the puzzle click together. Was he...dusting? That'd probably explain why he was looking in an area that probably hasn't seen daylight in months.

"What did Silky give you?" The redhead asked with a knowing look.

Elias looked over at her and noticed that she had an armful worth of cleaning utensils. He leaned down from the clock and showed her his other arm. He was holding quite a few things himself. Chise held a hand in front of her mouth to refrain a giggle. It really was odd that Silky asked Elias to help out as well.

"A duster, some window cleaner, and a sponge." His white eyes met with hers. "You?"

"She gave me some furniture polish and a broom with a dustpan." Chise showed him. "I guess she needed our help today, huh?"

"It would appear so." Elias looked around "...Is Ruth not helping you?"

Chise turned back in the direction of the stairs and glared. "-He's being a little difficult right now."

"If you're interested, the coffee table could use some polishing."

The redhead looked over at the table and realized he was right. She didn't hesitate to start getting to work. She gathered a couple of cloths and polished the table as best as she could. Elias wrapped up his job with the grandfather clock until he moved his way to the window in front of the table. Chise watched him reach the tip of the window with ease and clean it exceptionally.

He isn't the Silky, that's for sure. But, then again...she wasn't, either. Chise noticed the poor job she did on the coffee table and groaned. A sense of perfectionism came to her and she tried again on the job. This time it turned out adequate and that was all she needed. The redhead grabbed the broom to start sweeping until she noticed the sound of the rain was louder than it had been before.

Chise turned to the window and watched the raindrops pour down heavily. She said, "Geez...it's raining cats and dogs out there."

"Ah, yes." Elias dusted the photos on the walls. "It's rumored there's going to be a storm, but as far as I can sense, it's only some heavy rain. Do not be frightened, Chise."

"I'm not!" She offended, blushing. "It's just...really noisy."

"Then perhaps you'd like some music?"

Without warning, Elias took a step over at the radio that set on the mantle shelf. He turned it on and adjusted it to a station that played some calm music. It wasn't anything too classical for her taste. Chise even found herself humming along to it while she swept on the hardwood floors. Her hips slowly moved to the tempo and the rest of her body followed suit.

Elias noticed this and was staring at her in the background. He suddenly swooped down and nuzzled the top of her head. He walked over to the fireplace and continued dusting it like nothing happened. Chise rubbed her hair and stood there in shock for a moment or two. Things started registering and a flustered smile came onto her face.

"Ah..." She tried to hide her blush. "Elias, why did you kiss me?"

"When you're acting as adorable as you are, Chise, I just couldn't help it."

She looked bashful. He took this chance to nuzzle her head again and turn back to the fireplace. Even with his back turned was Chise able to recognize the smugness of his posture. She placed her fists on her hips and eyed his back playfully. Did he think he could do something so suave and get away with it? Not if she could help it, that's for sure.

Chise leaned forward and laid a quick kiss on his lower back. This caught Elias completely off guard. When he turned back, he found Chise across the room sweeping and humming. She glanced up at him and gave Elias a flirtatious wink. _This_ was when the inhuman monster knew that their little, silent war began. A new game of whoever can catch the other one off guard the most.

And he was _delighted_ to play along.

Whenever she'd brush past him, he'd feel either a quick embrace or a kiss placed on his back. If he were the one to pass by Chise, he'd brush his skull against her cheek or give her a quick squeeze on the shoulder. The display of affection, for both of them, resulted in hilarious responses. Chise wasn't quite used to being kissed by him nor was he used to being kissed by her. Their immediate reactions were to either hide themselves or just stand there.

Eventually, they had to move to the next room. Elias and Chise kept up the charade. In the hallways, in the attic, and even in the library. It was starting to grow hard to catch the other off guard when their eyes were always locked on one another. And the time they'd turn around, it was all too easy to listen for the other's steps past the music playing on the radio.

The redhead rubbed her chin in thought. She was wiping down the counters in the kitchen when the thought occurred to her. How on Earth could she catch Elias off guard without touching him? He was a type of creature that feared little to nothing. She had been lucky to catch him off guard today as it is. A sudden idea came to her and she smiled.

"I love you, Elias."

His silence told Chise that she succeeded. At least, that was until he **actually** replied.

"I love you more, Chise."

Damn his debonair attitude! She lowered her head when nothing else came to her mind. Elias continued on with what he was doing and the competition was no longer in the air. It seemed that, instead, they came to an understand or just simply tied. Normally she'd be fine with this and would give up by now.

But when she turned around and saw Elias still staring at her...her heart longed. Not for _him_ , she already had him, but for something new. Maybe this was the right time to be playful with him? After all, they were wed. It shouldn't be out of the ordinary to act coy every once in awhile. He'd done it before, after all. What with the biting her shoulder some nights.

She hummed lightly and asked, "Are you sure you do?"

The monster was a bit lost. "Of course. I don't ever lie."

Chise walked across the kitchen and started cleaning next to him. Elias watched her intently and slowly resumed what he was doing before, except now he had his pupils locked on her. The redhead continued humming and simply kept up with the chores. Elias didn't relax until a few minutes after when she hadn't tried anything.

Elias leaned down to reach something and Chise quickly went forward. She puckered her lips to lay a kiss to the side of his skull. Instead of coming into contact with it, she felt pure air. Chise opened her eyes and noticed that he immediately stood up straight. He dodged her kiss!

She huffed at her failed attempt but continued cleaning. Elias hesitated before he resumed his and tried to keep a distance between them. The redhead had none of that and was immediately back by his side again. When he looked down at her, he saw that she had her arms extended and was silently asking for a hug. She even had her trademarked puppy eyes on again.

"I know the game you're playing."

"Whhaaat?" Chise asked innocently. "No game! I just want a hug from you."

Elias set aside his sponge and gave her a knowing glance. The redhead blushed and wiggled her fingers around. She leaned on her tiptoes to come to his chest level. He still didn't budge.

"Lean down so I can kiss you!" She stomped her boot angrily.

"No."

"Elias! Please?"

He shook his skull.

"I love you?"

"You've tried this one before, Chise."

She wasn't pleased on where this was going. She crossed her arms and soon returned back to scrubbing down their stove. Elias watched behind her with amusement. She was so adorable at times like these. He rather liked this sudden playful nature in her. He could have given her the pleasure of a kiss, yes, but now it was his turn to play with her. There should be no harm in it.

Quietly, he crept out of the kitchen and started making his way to the stairs. He waited until he heard Chise's boots tap on the floor behind him. He continued on his way and only stopped when he heard her voice call for him.

"Elias? Where are you going?"

He turned around and saw a distressed face on Chise. Did she think he was leaving her? He felt a bit guilty but it went as fast as it came.

"To clean the windows in your room. You aren't occupying it right now, yes?"

"Well, no, but you might see the notes-"

* **SMACK!** *

Chise placed her hand over her mouth in shock. Elias took in what she said and quickly made his way up the stairs. The redhead followed him closely and extended an arm out to stop him. He was already up and in her room by the time she came into the hallway. She staggered into her room and found Elias looking around with a finger tapping his jaw.

"Hmm..." He mused. "Where would my apprentice keep her notes?"

He turned back to her and found Chise standing in the doorway with a panicked look. She gave him a sheepish grin and simply waved the thought off.

"D-Don't be ridiculous, Elias! I was just joking with you..."

He didn't buy it. The monster opened the drawer to her desk and quickly glanced through what was in it. A bead of sweat came down Chise's forehead and she watched him nervously. His white pupils locked with her green eyes as she quietly shut it and looked back around. When she was out of his sight, she quickly slipped the notes underneath her mattress. The sound of it plopping down caught Elias' attention.

He asked, "What did you do?"

She stood up straight. "Nothing!"

Elias walked over to the side she was standing on and Chise immediately sat on the bed. She used her legs to cover the space that the notes were hiding in. Elias was about to motion the mattress upwards until Chise used her weight to hold it down. It was obvious that Elias could easily overpower this and just flip her off from the bed, but he decided not to.

He looked up and noticed that the two of them were only inches apart. He was leaning down so his pupils were able to look straight into Chise's eyes. She leaned back on the bed and tried her best not to appear nervous. She patted the end of his skull awkwardly and smiled.

"There's nothing in here, Elias. Let's go back downstairs and-"

"It's under _here_ , isn't it?"

He lifted the end of the mattress up and found a small stack of papers shoved inside. He took them and observed them silently. Chise bit her lip and cringed when she saw him burn them. Elias let go of the mattress and stood up straight to dust his gloves off. Chise crossed her arms stubbornly.

"You know, it's really hard to study without notes."

"You should be able to retain the information from the book itself." Elias leaned down. "If I was able to conjure magic by only the spells I read, then you can, too."

Chise's eyes widened. They were close again. This time, his skull was only one inch from her lips. She couldn't help but to lean forward and lay a soft and gentle kiss on his skull. Elias tilted his skull at first but soon recognized she was actually endearing about this kiss. He went on his knees and rested his skull on her shoulder silently.

He said, "You are my smart robin, Chise. Notes are fine to make temporarily, but long term usage deteriorates the information. Paraphrasing and all."

She rested her head on top of his skull and muttered, "You _do_ have a point..."

The mood settled in the room suddenly turned serious. For their behavior and little game earlier, Elias decided he wouldn't have this. He moved his skull upwards from her shoulder and wanted to make a bold yet hesitant move. He used the ends of his teeth to nibble on her ear. Her result was to die for.

"ELIAS! THAT TICKLES!"

He nibbled some more.

"ST-STOP! ELIAS!"

Even more. Chise laughed and tried to swat him away but he only leaned in further. He pulled away when he felt a tear come down her eye a few minutes after. He looked at her worriedly but only found that she was smiling and clutching her sides. She wiped the tears off from her eyes and looked at him. She suddenly sat back up and hugged him tightly.

She said, "Thank you, and I'm sorry..."

"For?"

"Playing with you." She looked away shyly. "It was out of nowhere to do, and-"

"Don't apologize!" Elias replied. "I enjoy you being playful. I find it's...attractive, in a way."

Chise gave him a surprised look. She asked, "You think so?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have played back."

His serious tone made the redhead smile dumbly. He acted like such a dog, sometimes. And that was saying a lot as it is. About both Elias and Ruth, she supposed. Chise went forward and was about to give him another kiss until they heard something tap the wall. The two of them turned and found the Silky in the doorway giving them a rather displeased look. Her arms were crossed as well, which was never a good sign.

"I'm sorry, Silky!" Chise went bashful. "I...you see-"

"The living room, kitchen, and basement are cleaned." Elias said. "Thank you for your help, Silver."

She gave them both a nod and dismissed herself down the stairs. Chise turned to him and felt embarrassed for overreacting. Elias only leaned forward and nuzzled the end of his skull on her mouth. He hoisted himself up beside her and sat down on the bed himself. Chise clung onto his arm and rested her cheek on the side of it.

"I think I like spring cleaning."

Elias placed his hand over hers and chuckled. "That makes two of us."


End file.
